My Little Pumpkin
by Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus
Summary: Six-year-old Ash Ketchum loves Halloween for its candy, haunting ghosts, and scary monsters. But the only things haunting Delia were her family's troubles, and her greatest scare didn't come from ghouls but from the possibility of breaking her little boy's heart. Pre-Series. Complete.
1. Chapter One

_**My Little Pumpkin**_

**SUMMARY**: Six-year-old Ash Ketchum loves Halloween for its candy, haunting ghosts, and scary monsters. But the only things haunting Delia were her family's troubles, and her greatest scare didn't come from ghouls but from the possibility of breaking her little boy's heart.

**GENRE**: Drama/Family  
**RATED**: PG / K+  
**NOTABLE CONTENT**: Brief Mild Language & Mild Mature Themes  
**STORY TAKES PLACE IN**: Pre-anime. Characters are younger (Delia: 25, Ash: 6).

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters, or Frankenstein, Casper the Friendly Ghost, The Wizard of Oz, Charlie's Angels, Three Musketeers, Milky Way, Wonder Woman_, or_ York Peppermint Patties_.

**COMMENTS**: Welcome to Aiselne's 3-part Pallet Town Halloween special, starring none other than the squeetastic duo little!Ash and Delia Ketchum. This is actually my first time writing a pre-series Pokemon story, and may I say it's a blast to write Ash at such a young age. But of course, this fanfic is another one of my Ketchum family dramas. Will everyone have a "happy" Halloween in this story? Read, enjoy, and you'll find out! ;)

* * *

**My Little Pumpkin  
**_Aiselne Phoenix_

**~ Chapter One ~**

Friday, October 31st | Pallet Town, Kanto

"But _Moooomm_! It's almost time!"

A tired sigh escaped her curled lips. Delia estimated she had heard that same nagging whine at least twenty times within the last ten minutes. Based on her six-year-old son's raging sugar high, Ash did not seem in any hurry to quit pestering his poor mother, either.

Thank heavens Delia possessed nerves of steel. Yet, even she had her limits and could feel her steel melting in lieu of Ash's fiery energy. The auburn-haired woman was resilient, but after the twentieth "_Mooooommm_," Delia's patience was thinning. It did not help that she was desperately attempting to finish decorating the pumpkin pie she baked. The whipped-cream message "Happy Halloween" now sloppily resembled "Hoppy Holloweeen," thanks to an impatient little boy tugging the hem of his busy mother's apron.

"_Moooooommmm_!"

The only reason Delia never lashed out irrationally was because she knew she only had herself to blame for Ash's over-excited behavior. After all, tonight was Halloween, her son's favorite holiday. Why was Halloween Ash's favorite holiday? Why _else_? Candy! Lots and lots of sugar for a little boy who was arguably _born_ with a sugar high! Ordinarily, Delia's rambunctious son bounced off the walls _without_ candy in his system. Wherever Ash got the energy Delia would never know, though her default answer was: "He gets it from his father."

Even so, Delia still blamed herself for Ash's current sugar rush. What did Delia do? She foolishly opened Pandora's Box and allowed Ash "one piece of candy," which is identical to "giving a mouse a cookie." Delia should have known better. No ordinary child ever had just one piece of candy on Halloween night. Now, Ash was fortunate if he could stand still for a grand total of two seconds before fidgeting and whining all over again. Were holidays meant to be this exhausting for mothers?

Alas, it _was_ Halloween, so Delia decided to loosen the maternal restraints for celebration's sake. Despite his current behavior Ash was indeed a good boy who deserved to enjoy himself on his favorite holiday. Nevertheless, if Delia heard one more "_Moooommm_," felt _another_ tug at her skirt, or had to re-write her pie's "Happy Halloween" message _again_…

"_Moooomm_!"

Delia made a mental memo: _Never give Ash candy again! It's akin to suicide!_

"_Moooooooooommmmm_!"

"Ash, _go sit down_!" Delia finally ordered sharply, setting aside the whipped cream canister to spin around and lock narrowed brown eyes with wide innocent ones. Delia's voice was a far cry from yelling, but firm enough for her unruly, sugar-filled boy to get the message and shut his mouth.

Ash knew that "look" his mother gave him: the "look" all mothers wore whenever their children pushed too many buttons and tested their patience. The raven-haired child was smart enough not to irritate Delia too much this evening, lest Ash be exempt from his beloved trick-or-treating with Gary Oak. Thus, all Delia had to do was point a stern index finger at a vacant chair at the Ketchums' kitchen table and Ash marched.

Naturally, Delia's face softened. She did not enjoy being tough on her boy tonight, but Delia still had a list of things to do before their expected company arrived. The kitchen's wall clock read 6:30 P.M. Professor Oak and his grandson were due to arrive any minute so Ash and Gary could begin their infamous "Venture for Candy Across Pallet Town." Plus, there were bound to be early trick-or-treaters buzzing Delia's doorbell in the near future. The woman still had yet to finish filling the candy bowls for the costume-clad visitors.

That, and she _still_ had to finish decorating her homemade pie; Delia's little present for Professor Oak in exchange for chaperoning Ash and Gary's trick-or-treating. Delia usually stayed home to hand out candy, in-between fixing together a few snacks and a spooky movie to surprise her son once he returned home. Professor Oak never allowed the six-year-olds to stay out too late (neither did Delia), so the compensation was they came home early to watch a Halloween movie at Ash's house. So many preparations were to be made and there was so very little time for Delia to finish them all. She certainly did not have time to heed every one of her anxious son's whiny whims.

Yet, with the kitchen now plunged into uneasy silence, Delia suddenly realized she almost missed Ash's boisterousness ("almost" being the key word). "Oh, I didn't mean to snap at you, sweetheart," the mother voiced sweetly, strolling over to Ash's seat to pat his ebony hair. Ash had yet to even dress into his costume; the little farmer ensemble Delia had tailored so diligently for the past few days. He looked so cute in it, if Delia did not say so herself. "Mommy's just _reeeeally_ busy right now and can't have you underfoot. Why don't you go upstairs and change into your costume? Gary's bound to arrive any minute."

The mentioning of his best friend seemed to brighten Ash's spirits. "Okay!" chirped the boy before hopping off his seat and bounding for the kitchen threshold. Unable to prevent a grin curl her lips again, Delia shook her head as she silently marveled her boy's limitless energy. Fortunately, "what goes up must come down," and Delia could hardly wait for when her little bundle of energy crashed into his bed for the night. Sadly, bedtime was several hours away, and there was still plenty of trick-or-treating and candy-consuming beforehand. Halloween was always a long, tiring night for Delia Ketchum.

Of course, she loved every minute of it.

"Mommy?"

"What is it, Ash?" Delia answered, happy her son addressed her in a civilized, sans-whining manner this time. Seeing her boy reappear at the kitchen threshold, Delia smiled before cocking her head curiously. "Do you need help with your costume?"

Excitedly gripping the doorframe, Ash shook his head whilst a smile broadened across his lips. For a moment, Delia feared the boy's inevitable beg for more candy. Heavens knew Ash did not need any more sugar!

Instead, Delia's son surprised her and giggled ecstatically. "Hehe, I just can't _wait_ to go trick-or-treating with Dad!"

It was a good thing Delia was not holding the whipped cream canister, or anything else for that matter. Else, she probably would have dropped them and made a gigantic mess across her clean kitchen floors. Ash had scampered off upstairs before she could even reply, leaving Delia alone in the silence of her kitchen. Not five minutes ago, silence was all she craved on this crazy night. But now…

Staring absentmindedly at her sloppily designed pumpkin pie, Delia felt another sigh slip between her frowning mouth. Ah yes, there was one _other_ reason why Ash was over-excited this evening. Not only was today the boy's favorite holiday, and he would get his proverbial bag of candy, but this year's Halloween happened to be extra-special.

_He promised_, Delia reminded herself, taking deep relaxing breaths before deciding to tidy the mess she called her homemade pie. _He promised he would come_. True, these were not exactly the best of times in Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum's marriage. Even so, Delia's husband _promised_ to come home and spend Halloween night with his son. Together he and Samuel planned to chaperone Ash and Gary's trek through town. That way, at least Professor Oak would not be alone in handling two rambunctious boys (who did have tendencies to bicker and compete). Sam was plenty spry for his age, but it never hurt to keep an extra set of eyes on kids, especially on such a mischievous night like Halloween.

Most importantly, tonight was a chance for Ash to spend some well-deserved time with his father, opportunities that had been in short supply during recent months.

_Ding-dong!_

Her pie was still not 100% presentable, but Delia nevertheless wiped her hands on her apron and headed for the front door. One of three possibilities lay behind that door: 1.) early trick-or-treaters, 2.) Professor Oak and Gary, or 3.)…

…Delia needed a moment to fix her appearance before grabbing the doorknob. If Possibility #3 happened to be standing behind the door, Delia wanted to look decent. There was no reason to give _him_ the satisfaction in knowing these past few months were indeed taking their toll on the poor wife. Delia Ketchum was a strong woman, and she was also admittedly stubborn, too…stubborn enough to have suggested her and her spouse's separation in the first place. She fought tooth and nail to get what she wanted, and the last thing Delia wanted to do was give false impressions that she regretted her decision. Nevertheless, her and her husband's problems were not excuses to punish Ash. Regardless of who was waiting beyond her front door, Delia simply refused to ruin her baby's favorite holiday.

"Well, good evening Delia! Happy Halloween!"

Fortunately, Samuel and Gary greeted Delia from behind the door, much to the auburn-haired woman's unparalleled relief. She and her husband's reunion was inevitable tonight, but Delia was certainly not complaining about Sam and Gary arriving first. Smiling happily, the woman opened her screen door and welcomed the two Oaks into her Halloween-decorated, pumpkin spice-scented living room.

"Happy Halloween to you, too!" greeted Delia, closing the doors behind her to then join Professor Oak and his grandson. Sam dressed in his typical lab suit, with make-up scars and glue-on bolts along his neck, resembling a cross between Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. The youngest brunette was similarly, but not identically, dressed in a white-coated doctor's costume, looking striking similar to Samuel. "Hehe, and don't you look nice, Gary. You look just like your grandfather when he's in the lab."

Professor Oak chuckled lightly as Gary smiled delightfully. "Thanks, but I'm supposed to be a _human doctor_," the boy corrected matter-of-factly, fiddling with the toy stethoscope around his neck before placing his hands on his hips. "_Grandpa_'s a Pokemon researcher," present Frankenstein costume excluded.

"Ah, you're right, Gary. Excuse me," Delia giggled, acknowledging and admiring the kid's keen attention to details. Stealing a quick glimpse, Delia noticed Professor Oak's face bore a small but proud smile. "Well, both of you are welcomed to have a seat," she offered, motioning towards her living room's sofa. Glancing at her staircase leading to the house's second floor, "Ash should be coming downstairs any minute and…" she trailed, noticing a pair of short legs descend the stairs and—"OH SWEETIE, YOU LOOK PRECIOUS!"

Ash nearly slipped down the staircase thanks to his mother's unexpected, high-pitched, eardrum-bursting squeal. How embarrassing! _Must_ Delia gush so loudly? Any higher and all of Pallet Town would have heard Delia's octaves. Her son had grown accustomed to the woman's enthusiasm, and Ash certainly loved to bring Delia such joy, but…jeez! Poor Professor Oak did not want to purchase a hearing aid any sooner than necessary. And his white coat-costumed grandson was grinning like an evil, mad scientist who could hardly wait to torture Ash with teases. Gary was Ash's best friend, but their friendship never stopped the haughty boys from badgering one another when opportunity knocked

In an attempt to regain his dignity Ash ignored Gary, then gripped the stair rail with two hands and finished his journey into the living room. The child was indeed pleased with his costume and held his head high in front of his audience. Thank heavens everyone else seemed to agree with Ash's selection, too.

"Why Delia, that costume is perfect!" praised Professor Oak, offering ample applause to the costume wearer and costume designer. After getting a good look at Ash's outfit, Sam patted the child's mop of black hair. "You look just like your grandfather, Ash."

Ash's eyes glistened and his smile beamed at the wonderful compliment. "Thanks! Mom told me all about Grampa Ketchum, how he was an 'agri'-umm…" he paused, shyly turning to Delia who obliged to say the big word her son tried to remember: "Agriculturalist." "Yeah! Which is a farmer! He grew all sorts'a things to help Pallet Town, and he even worked with his Pokemon! Rapidash pulled big machines everywhere, and Venusaur used its Leech Seed-spitting to help plant crops. It must've been sooo cool to see!"

The boy's excitement was boundless, and Delia's heart swelled at her son's familial pride. Ketchums and Pokemon went hand-in-hand throughout generations, and her father-in-law was hailed as a Pokemon genius in the agricultural field. He even discovered a way for Venusaur to store its Solarbeam energy over extended periods of time, ideal for days when Mother Nature did not supply enough sunlight. Pallet Town had always been a rural community, and to this day retirees spoke of Grandpa Ketchum as though he were a Pagan harvest god.

Yet, Delia knew her father-in-law took the greatest pride in his family. He married a wonderful woman and they had a beautiful son, and in turn, the spouses lived to see their son marry his own wonderful woman and have their own beautiful baby boy. Of all the harrowing days, months he spent in the hospital, Grandpa Ketchum was happiest when he held his newborn grandson in his arms. Being so blessed throughout his life, how could a man not die happy? Those were words that Delia never forgot, and would never forget.

Based on Ash's animation, it was almost impossible to think the boy was never given the chance to personally know his grandfather. Of course, few things stopped Ash Ketchum's love of family, not to mention his curiosity. He devoured knowledge about his late relative, rarely letting the sadness of death shy him away from honoring his "Grampa." And with autumn upon them, Pallet harvesting was well underway and Grandpa Ketchum's memories were at their pinnacle. If imitation was the sincerest form of flattery, then Ash hoped his farmer's Halloween costume made his Grampa very flattered in Heaven.

"That's really cool, Ash," even Gary admitted, who did not offer compliments frivolously. Ordinarily, Gary was the one to brag about his famous grandfather, but…well, Grandpa Ketchum _did_ sound like a pretty awesome guy.

Being praised by Gary of all people made Ash's smile broaden. "Thanks! Mom made it for me!" After all, Ash was merely wearing the outfit—it was Delia who worked hard in making it.

Pallet Town was a homey community, the type in which kids rarely wore store-bought Halloween costumes. Ash's farmer attire was no exception. His denim overalls were hand-me-downs, dug up from the attic of the previous Ketchum generation, and Delia sewed Halloween-esque orange and brown-colored patches over the worn holes at the knees and pockets. The auburn-plaid shirt was new, but Delia figured Ash could reuse it throughout the season. Her smallest, and oldest, pair of brown gardening gloves fit Ash almost perfectly; his small fingers did not quite fill the gloves, making the ends flop when moved, but Ash did not seem to mind. Last but not least, Delia recycled a pair of Ash's old rubber rain boots, which featured the scuffed, unrecognizable remains of Pokemon stickers. After a thorough cleaning, and a touch of black latex paint, the shoes were perfect apparel for a little famer to work the land—or in tonight's case, traverse the land for candy.

"Your costume's neat, too, Gary!" added Ash, particularly intrigued by the stethoscope, wondering if it worked like the one his pediatrician used. "Heh! Isn't it cool how we both look like our grandpas tonight?"

Sam and Delia giggled subtly as the brunette boy sweatdropped. No sense in reiterating the differences between human doctors and Pokemon researchers again. Ash meant no insult. It dawned on Gary that every house he and his pal knocked upon would probably make the same assumption, so he might as well get used to it.

"Would any of you gentlemen care for something before you leave?" Delia cheerfully offered, spying the grandfather clock read six-forty. It was not pitch-dark outside yet, but the sun set much sooner this time of year. Through the parlor window Delia noticed the streetlight at the end of her driveway was already lit. Upon the first shred of nightlight trick-or-treating hour officially began. Delia knew that as soon as Ash and Gary stopped ogling each other's costumes, their proverbial, "Let's go! Let's go!" cries would ensue. She had trouble handling one energized boy, never mind two. "Anyone care for some cider? I've got snacks, too." Not candy, of course. Ash already had plenty of that, and more was sure to come tonight.

"Thank you for offering, Delia, but we should probably wait until after we get back," Samuel replied, strolling beside both youngsters and patting their shoulders. "Gary and I already ate a light supper. There's plenty of time for eating _after_ trick-or-treating, right boys?" much to Gary and Ash's pouting chagrin. The rule was no candy-eating until after returning home. Pallet Town was a safe place; the odds of somebody tampering with the candy were slim, but it never hurt to play it safe. Above all, Delia and Professor Oak did not think it wise for the kids to run around town on full stomachs. The same applied to the adults, too. "And you know how much I love your apple cider, Delia. I really don't think the neighbors will appreciate being visited by two cute trick-or-treaters with one old man who desperately needs to use their restroom."

Delia tried not to giggle, but she was not shy about rolling her eyes playfully. "You are _not_ old, Sam." Ever since the professor turned fifty last year, old man jokes became commonplace, most made by none other than Samuel himself. He had a great sense of humor, one of the many things Delia admired about Professor Oak. "And one little cup of cider can't possibly cause _that_ much trouble!"

"Best not to take chances," the professor spoke wisely, rubbing Ash and Gary's bouncy shoulders. "Although frankly, I'm most worried about what might happen if we keep these fellows from trick-or-treating for much longer."

"Yeah!" piped Gary, looking up at Sam. "Can we go now?"

"But we can't!" Ash unexpectedly answered, the last words anyone expected the child to say. After being incessantly badgered about leaving, Delia could hardly believe her son was not rip-raring to go. Of course, there was good reason. "My dad's not here yet!"

Professor Oak exchanged a neutral glance with the boy's mother. Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum's marital issues were none of his business and he had no intention of prying. However, Samuel was a close friend and he did feel obligated to at least mouth a silent question to Delia: Is _he coming?_

Just when the living room's atmosphere had been bright and cheery, Delia felt her mood darken. The woman discreetly chewed her lower lip. _Was_ her husband going to show up? He would come—if he valued his life. He would come—if he truly cared about keeping a promise to his son. Ketchums were virtuous people who kept promises whenever possible. Short of there being an emergency there was no reason for Mr. Ketchum not to go trick-or-treating with Ash this evening. _He promised!_

"Well, it's still a little early." Sam attempted to maintain everyone's spirits, looking on the bright side before melancholy spoiled their holiday. "We agreed to start trick-or-treating at seven, so why not wait a few more minutes?" Neither Ash nor Gary were patient, and both feared the obvious. "Gary and I didn't see too many trick-or-treaters out yet when we walked over here, anyway. I doubt the entire town will run out of candy within the next fifteen minutes." Not wanting to hear a complaint from the kids, Sam scooted the boys to the sofa, seized the coffee table's remote, and powered on the TV to the first available Halloween special or movie. "And what luck, boys! There's a marathon of _Casper the Friendly Ghost_! I grew up watching these cartoons!"

Amusing how the alleged old man appeared more exuberant over cartoons than the kids. The boys loved animated classics, naturally, but the call of candy from the outside world was far more enticing. Nevertheless, everyone followed Professor Oak's cue. It was only fifteen minutes, after all.

Delia smiled, indebted to Professor Oak's sense of timing. At least Gary and Ash (especially Ash) would be distracted for the next fifteen minutes.

Fifteen long, anxiety-riddled minutes.

Figuring it was as good a time as any, Delia disappeared into the kitchen, attempting to finally finish ornamenting her pumpkin pie. But as before, Delia felt distracted. No longer did she have Ash pestering her—it was her conscience doing so. Regardless of the Ketchum aesthetic of keeping promises, what if Ash did not get to trick-or-treat with his father? She had to prepare.

As she stared aimlessly at her pie, Delia kept reminding herself. _Vic promised_.

It was not that her husband was one of those good-for-nothing parents. In fact, Victor Ketchum was one of the hardest working people Delia ever met. He commuted to Indigo Plateau, just west of Viridian City, and managed the Pokemon League HQ's telecommunications office. Ash never quite understood his dad's work, but he automatically assumed that any job at the Pokemon League must involve Pokemon, and what was cooler than that?

The irony of it all was that Mr. Ketchum's Pokemon League career rarely involved actual Pokemon, and therein laid the problem. Ketchums loved Pokemon; Ash's dad was no exception. Victor began his trainer's journey at age ten; he did fairly well in League tournaments. But by Victor's late teens he realized Mastership was out of the question—and the surprise that he was going to become a father—so he decided to work his way up the Pokemon League's corporate ladder instead. One need not become a Pokemon Master to still qualify for a position in the League's business offices. There was always a need for people to answer phones, file paperwork, and manage computers. The paychecks were impressive and provided well for Delia and Ash, not to mention assisted Victor's retired mother and in-laws residing on Cinnibar Island. But eventually the hypocrisy of working for the Pokemon League, yet not working directly with Pokemon, became too oxymoronic for Delia's husband to bear.

As wife, Delia supported her spouse's decisions…to a point. She knew Victor was unhappy, borderline depressed with his unfulfilling job, but she never expected him to quit it—and choose to rediscover his ambitions as a Pokemon trainer, no less!

On one hand, Delia had not seen her husband so happy in a very long time. However, on the other hand…what in Ho-Oh's name was Victor thinking?! He was not ten years old anymore! He had a wife and child to support! Delia was no freeloader; she cooked at a local restaurant, but her wage and tips were pittance compared to Mr. Ketchum's salary. The money he earned and saved via the Pokemon League was substantial, but it could not possibly last forever without continual income. The Ketchums did not live extravagantly, but what if Ash wanted to go to college someday? What if _Delia_ wanted to go to college? Her own ambitions went on hold the moment she found out she was going to be a mother, but there was no law stating Delia could never resume higher education in the future. At least her goals did not involve leaving home on some endless Pokemon journey into no-man's land!

To say Delia was outraged was a gross understatement.

"_You don't understand, Deeli," Victor told her one night during yet another one of their marital spats. Thank heavens Ash slept over Gary's house for the evening. "You were never a Pokemon trainer. I can't expect you to comprehend what I'm going through."_

"_You're right," she admitted, albeit none too nicely. "I _can't_ understand the life of a trainer who 'finds himself' while traveling around the world with his Pokemon. But I _am_ a mother and _you_ are Ash's father, Victor Ketchum! As far as I'm concerned when people become parents nothing else should matter more than their child and family! I know what you're going to say…your Pokemon are family, too, and I've never had a problem with that. But your Pokemon are evolved and matured—they are not six-year-old children who need a father figure! Ash needs you _here_, at home, not gallivanting off somewhere to ease some cockamamie mid-midlife crisis or something!"_

Sometimes Delia wondered if the real reason for her husband's behavior was due to the simple fact that they became parents at such an early age. High school sweethearts, married shortly after graduation, baby soon to follow…too much responsibility in too short of time. The Ketchums managed and they regretted nothing, but it did not change the fact that both of them were now in their mid-twenties. It did not help that Pokemon journeys were most associated with children: if a boy began Pokemon training at age ten, by his twenties the trainer not only should have gotten his fill of traveling, but he was also expected to know exactly what he wanted to do with his life, not to mention already be doing it. Those were the social norms of the Pokemon world, which was all well and good as long as nothing major interrupted the aspiring Pokemon trainer's journey. A baby changes everything, and as young parents Victor and Delia left behind a fair share of unfinished business. Victor's greatest fear was if he did not resume his ambitions whilst he was still young, he might never resume them again.

Delia's greatest fear was what kind of impact her husband's absence had on Ash. At first, Mr. Ketchum trained locally, even taking Ash on day-trips to Viridian Forest, but he eventually craved seeing the big world. Victor never before traveled outside the Kanto Region and the urge to visit uncharted lands was undeniable—last Delia heard, Victor was somewhere in Johto. If the Kanto Region could not contain her husband, what hope did Delia have? She gave up arguing with him eventually, too tired and too worried that Ash overheard their bickering. Separation seemed the best solution, especially since Victor was rarely home to begin with. At least he had enough common sense to use a videophone and stay in touch, but Delia did not consider that enough for Ash.

She also hoped her husband had enough common sense to uphold his promise to take Ash trick-or-treating tonight. _He promised!_ Delia kept telling herself, convincing herself, and ultimately praying to herself. _You promised you'd come, Vic. You promised Ash!_

_Ding-dong!_

Once again Delia found herself in the kitchen, fiddling with her star-crossed pumpkin pie, when the doorbell rang. The Oaks had already arrived, so that left two possible visitors: trick-or-treaters, or her husband. Although she still was not looking forward to seeing Victor's face, Delia prayed he was standing on the porch. For Ash's sake.

"I'll get it!"

Speaking of the little devil, Delia gasped when she heard Ash scamper towards the front door. Who would have thought that a small child with smaller legs could move so fast? Being in the living room gave him an added advantage of proximity to the door, too. _Casper_'s ending theme played just as the living room clock heralded the evening's seventh hour. The porch's occupant(s) rang the doorbell once more before Ash grabbed and twisted the knob. He knew who awaited him on the other side of the door, and Ash's heart pounded happily, having waited far too long to see—

"Trick or treat!"

The jovial chorus of costume-wearers brought zero glee to Ash as reality dawned on him. A modest group of five kids crowded his doorstep. The troupe's leader was a brunette girl wearing a blue dress, glittery red shoes, and held a basket with candy and a stuffed Lilipup inside. Beside Dorothy was another girl in a 50's-themed poodle skirt (which had an actual poodle sewn near its hem), and next to her were two alien-looking creatures wearing masks that featured blinking antennas, and a cowboy who tied together his candy bag with his lasso. It was difficult for Ash to recognize the mask and makeup-covered children, especially when his attention was directed elsewhere. Standing at the porch's landing were two supervising adults. Neither one was his father, unless Mr. Ketchum chose to dress as either the Good Witch or Bad Witch from _The Wizard of Oz_.

Delia recognized the witchy sisters as two waitresses from her restaurant, both older than the Ketchum cook. "Hi, Carrie! Cheryl! Happy Halloween!" she greeted upon reaching the threshold, standing behind her son with a large, just-filled bowl of candy. She dared not look at Ash's face at the moment. Fortunately, the trick-or-treaters provided the ideal distraction. After squeezing by Ash, Delia opened the screen door and began dishing out a handful of candy per child. "And wow! Don't you kids look cool! I love your costumes!"

"Thanks!" squealed Dorothy (her real name was Wendy, if Delia remembered), who then bounded down the stairs to where her mother Cheryl the Bad Witch stood. "Look, Mom! I gotta' box of PokeGummies! My favorite! Can I have some, pleeeease?"

"Not until we get home, Wendy." Based on Cheryl's groan, she obviously reiterated this rule a dozen times to her daughter already. Such did not stop Wendy from pouting disappointedly. "May I remind that you already ate a whole box before we left, young lady? You're going to get a stomachache." Evidently, Mrs. Ketchum was not the only parent who foolishly gave her child candy prior to Halloween's trick-or-treating. It was nice to know Delia was not the only grownup to suffer tonight. Cheryl looked back up at her auburn-haired coworker and shook her head exasperatingly. "I tell ya, Del. I'll never know where these kids put it. I could eat _half_ a box a gummies and my diet would immediately go off the Richter scale!"

"It's the miracle of being _young_," jabbed Carrie, none too subtly poking fun at her older sister. Both women were in their mid-thirties, but Cheryl crept closest to forty. For someone who dressed as the Good Witch Carrie was being awfully mean to her big sis. Not that her colleagues' sisterly catfights were anything new to Delia. Just because people were outside the workplace did not necessarily mean they behaved any differently.

Victor was proof of that.

"Your costume's nice, Ash," said one of the boys in the alien costumes, his voice the only recognizable part about himself. Lamar Kristopher lived at the end of Ash's street, and Ash guessed the other alien was Lamar's twin brother Remi—or Reggie was it? Ash could not recall; he infrequently associated with the Kristopher boys. Their father was principal of Pallet Elementary School, which evidently gave his sons the idea that they were special and exempt from rules. Ironically, Principal Kristopher was a pretty friendly guy, though Ash tried to avoid the principal's office whenever possible. Lamar and his what's-his-name brother needed to learn more manners from their dad. "Which store did you buy your farmer's outfit?"

Typical. Only the more pompous people in Pallet Town bought their attire, opposed to making it themselves. Ash imagined steep price tags on the twins' Halloween masks, their flashy LED lights akin to blinking neon signs that advertised: SPOILED.

"Mom made my costume," answered Ash, not feeling particularly jealous of the Kristophers' blatant display of money. The black-haired boy was proud of his outfit for many reasons, unafraid to speak his heart. "My Grampa was a farmer so I wanted to dress up like him."

"Oh my, what a thoughtful idea!" Cheryl's voice suddenly called from below, obviously overhearing Ash's declaration. Cheryl and Carrie had been waiting for the Kristopher boys, obviously part of their trick-or-treating group. Bellowing it for all of Pallet to hear, Cheryl cooed, "You've got _such_ a sweetheart, Del!"

Lamar and his twin did not appear quite as impressed (although in their defense, it was nearly impossible to tell the boys' facial expressions behind those heavy masks). Whatever the case, Ash was happy to watch the kids to leave thereafter. Ms. Cheryl's compliment turned his face bright red, and the child bashfully edged closer to Delia's side to half-hide his face. It was one thing for Delia to shower him with feminine gushes; Ash was not used to receiving it from anyone else.

Giggling gently, Delia rubbed her son's shoulder before bidding farewell and a happy holiday to Cheryl and Carrie's troupe. Cheryl did not lie, nor did she say anything Delia did not already know. Ash _was_ a sweetheart, and Delia thanked God everyday that he was _her_ sweetheart, too.

So, if Ash was such a wonderful boy, why was his own father punishing him?!

Delia's eyes scanned her front yard, then beyond into the nighttime horizon of Pallet. More and more groups of trick-or-treaters marched along sidewalks, some destined to ring Delia's doorbell in the near future. A few cars and trucks slowly drove by, cautious of kids wandering the streets, but not one vehicle was Victor's gray truck. It was five minutes after seven o'clock. He should have arrived by _now!_

Ms. Cheryl and company provided a distraction, but Ash's mind eventually slingshot back to his number-one concern. He had been so certain that the doorbell-ringer had been his father, and the realization of otherwise sank the boy's heart. Yes, Ash was aware of his impatience; what child was not antsy on Halloween? The candies' sugar-charge was one thing, but Ash had an extra-special reason to be excited tonight. And he assumed his dad felt the same. It had been a while since the Ketchum men last saw each other, after all.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?"

Ash's innocent question pierced Delia like a knife. How many times had she heard that question ever since she and Victor began arguing? Yet, no matter how many times Ash asked her Delia never desensitized herself to the pain, both her own suffering and Ash's. Frankly, just acknowledging her son's pain amplified Delia's. But she knew lying would only make matters worse.

"I'm not sure, honey," answered Delia, forcing herself to remain calm as she casually closed the front door, opposed to slamming it shut in her frustration. Delia Ketchum was not a violent woman by any means, but she acknowledged that Ash's temper came from his mom. The only difference between the mother and son was that Delia knew how to compose herself: to wear the happy smile and act as though the world was wonderful. And yes, the world was wonderful—but some people in it seemed determined to prove otherwise.

In reality, Delia wanted to curse her husband, but she also wanted to believe. Believe everything would work out okay. Because no matter how dramatically her opinions of Victor changed recently, Delia wanted to believe in one shred of hope.

"But if I know your dad, Ash," she added, bending forward just enough to plant a comforting kiss on her boy's forehead. At least her affection elicited a small smile from Ash, for which Delia was thankful. "He keeps his promises. We just need to be a little patient, that's all. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

She spoke with desperate certainty. Perhaps if Delia believed hard enough in Victor then the fates would _make_ him appear, and that was not how true belief worked. Delia felt the same disgust towards the people who only attended her church when bad things happened, hoping their sudden "devoutness" would make all their problems vanish. How shallow it was for people to only believe in something, or someone, when it suited their needs. Delia did not want to be such a person.

It dawned on her that Delia's faith in Victor had weakened, and it was not entirely her fault, either. However, it was wrong to pretend that everything would work out for the best. Yes, there was always a chance that (in time) the family's problems would iron out and return to normalcy, but if they did not? This Halloween was just one of many unfortunate episodes between the separating Ketchums. How long could Delia keep feeding false hopes to her son?

"But why don't you and Gary head out anyway?" Delia suggested, grabbing the attention of Sam and his grandson from the television-adjacent sofa. _Casper_ was still on TV, though everyone's greatest interest laid elsewhere. Gary looked raring to leave, whilst Professor Oak stared wide-eyed at the auburn-haired woman. "It's after seven. Trick-or-treaters are already out and I'd hate for you two to miss out on the best candy." There was no point in Ash and Gary missing Halloween on account of Victor.

Ash was the most surprised by Delia's offer. Although eager to venture out, himself, the boy's excitement was simmered by the absence of his father. Because to Ash, trick-or-treating with his dad was the perfect Halloween treat. "But what about Dad?"

"He knows his way around town," Delia nodded, maintaining as positive a demeanor as possible. She did not lie, either. Victor grew up in Pallet just like his son, and Ketchums knew the town like the backs of their hands. "Once your father shows up, I'll tell him to catch up with you guys. And who knows? You might even bump into him on his drive into town." But in retrospect, Delia winked in Samuel's direction. "Just make sure you don't _actually_ bump into his truck, okay? You'll stick to the sidewalks, won't you, Sam?"

"Of course," Professor Oak reassured wholeheartedly, patting his coat's side pocket. "And I've always got my cell phone if you need to reach me. I know Vic has my number, too."

"So does this mean we can finally go?" Gary piped up, albeit his whine was less obnoxious than before. The brown-haired boy was tired of watching cartoons, especially when there was candy to be collected. However, he was not blind to his friend's disappointment. And Gary Oak of all people knew it was a bummer not to be able to see one's parent—in his case, parent_s_. Mr. and Mrs. Oak passed away in a car crash two winters ago, leaving Gary and his older sister May in their grandparents' custody.

May and two girlfriends went to a local Halloween party dressed as the original _Charlie's Angels_, bobbing for apples, dancing, and having a grand old time, while her little brother was doing absolutely _nothing_ at Ash's house! Gary felt bad for Ash's situation, but…was it so wrong to want to make the most of things? The night was far from over, so why end it before it even started? Ash certainly was not the type of kid to give up.

Realizing so, Gary hopped off the sofa and joined Ash's side. "Come' on, Ash! Betcha' I'll get more candy than you!"

If anything stirred Ash Ketchum it was competition, especially competition with Gary Oak. The farmer-costumed boy could already feel his adrenaline return: the prospect of candy, the challenge by Gary…how could Ash possibly refuse? He certainly was not about to prove Gary correct!

_But…Dad…_

Perhaps everyone had a point. It was stupid to mope around the house and waste Halloween. Besides, nobody ever confirmed that Mr. Ketchum was not coming. Just because Victor ran late did not mean all was lost. Once he reached Pallet he would simply join up with Ash and the Oaks. There was still plenty of time for the Ketchum guys to enjoy trick-or-treating together. Ash was already looking forward to it.

After a reluctant moment, Ash regained his optimism. "Okay!" he nodded exuberantly, balling a gloved fist. "But there's no way you're gonna' beat me, Gary! We'll see who gets the most candy!"

Happy by the return of his pal's spunk, Gary grinned proudly whilst pointing at himself. "We sure will—it'll be _me_!"

"Wanna bet?" countered Ash, unperturbed by his rival's arrogance. "If I win, you gotta' give me all your _Three Musketeers_!"

"You're on, Ashy!" Gary sneered, knowing his friend hated that nickname. "And when I win, you're gonna' gimme all of your _Milky Way_ bars!"

"Boys! Boys! No betting now," chided Professor Oak, intervening before Gary and Ash's wager evolved into something worse. Honestly, must those kids turn _everything_ into a competition? Not that there was anything wrong with friendly competing, but the boys had tendencies of going too far. Sam did not want Ash's feelings hurt anymore than necessary tonight.

"Besides, the _Milky Ways_ are not up for debate, young man," Sam added, playfully scolding his grandson, lightly reminding Gary not to rile up Ash too much this evening. "Those are my favorite, and the rules clearly state that all _Milky Way_ bars go to your grandfather for being nice enough to take you boys trick-or-treating tonight, _riiight_, Gary?"

His grandson's flabbergasted face was priceless. "That's not a rule, Grandpa!"

"It will be if you kids don't behave yourselves," Sam warned, immediately quelling Ash and Gary's battle. Candy was serious business on Halloween, something no kid wished to lose on account of being naughty. He who possessed the candy possessed the power! Professor Oak wished it were always this easy to keep children in line. "Now hurry along before this grumpy old man changes his mind."

Gary and Ash did not need to be told twice. They scrambled to lace their sneakers, along with finalizing their costumes before departing. Ash perched an old straw hat on his head, the perfect last touch to his farmer's ensemble. The boy had an affinity for headwear and felt almost naked without something covering his head. For Delia, she appreciated the hat for covering Ash's endlessly messy black hair.

That, and Delia appreciated the change in atmosphere. For just a moment Halloween took center stage, the kids were behaving like kids, and Delia once again lost herself in the holiday's bliss. Samuel was wonderful, lightening the mood and simultaneously exerting his parental control. She doubted Professor Oak would have any difficulties handling the two boys, even without an extra adult chaperone's assistance.

Before her thoughts could return to Victor Delia realized it was time for the guys to leave. Sam and Gary were already at the front door, Ash following, when it occurred to Delia that her son's costume was missing one very important accessory.

"Oh, Ash! You don't want to forget this!"

The boy spun around to see his mom approach him with a round, orange object in her hands. It was a plastic, pumpkin-shaped pail to carry candy, the generic style found in almost every shop. Tonight was the pail's third Halloween adventure with Ash, its history full of miles, confections, and memories. But in previous years, Ash had mismatched the pumpkin pail with dissimilar costumes: a ghost looked a little strange carrying a pumpkin, though no stranger than the year Ash dressed as a clown. Nobody scoffed, of course, because pumpkin pails were a Halloween staple, regardless if they matched the kid's costume.

But this year, Ash's pumpkin pail was more than just a canister for candy—it was the ideal accessory for the child's costume.

She kneeled to Ash's level. "Grampa's specialty was pumpkins, after all," warmly recalled Delia, remembering how her father-in-law's giant pumpkins annually won harvest festivals. No other Pallet farmer had yet to beat his records, either. "Maybe this little pumpkin will be good luck and get you lots and lots of candy, sweetheart."

Clutching the pail to his small chest, Ash smiled as he leaned in to kiss his mom's cheek. He did not want to make too much of a scene, lest Gary tease him later. But even Ash acknowledged that Delia deserved at least a kiss for her hard work with the costume, not to mention everything else she did on a daily basis. Ash was also aware that his parents' issues were hurting Delia more than she let on, yet she never faltered. Delia did not need to dress-up for Halloween as someone like Wonder Woman; as far as her son was concerned, Delia Ketchum was amazing.

"'Kay, Mom!" Ash chirped, regaining that bounce in his step as he headed for the door. "I'll be sure to give ya my _Peppermint Patties_!" his mother's guilty favorite.

"Just be safe out there, guys," Delia insisted, though she was well aware that the children were in capable hands. There was no stopping a mother's inherent worries, though.

"Don't worry, Del, I'll have these two back by nine at the latest." Luckily for Ash and Gary, this year's Halloween fell on a Friday, a non-school night, but that did not mean the kids could stay out all night. Professor Oak promised and reassured Delia as he opened the door, peering outside to notice an oncoming group of seven kids in colorful costumes. "It looks like you've got more customers headed your way, so the three of us'll take off while we still can."

"Okay. Have fun!" she waved goodbye, admiring her little farmer and his best friend as they scampered off into the night. In a way Delia wished she went with the kids, but somebody had to stay home and give the other trick-or-treaters their candy. Nobody else in the Ketchum household was around to do it, after all.

The group that Sam mentioned stomped onto her doorstep soon after, kids of various ages clad in various outfits. Some were familiar to Delia, as were the adults accompanying them. After dishing out the treats and offering compliments to the cool costumes, Delia returned inside before the next wave of candy-seekers.

Now, her house felt rather lonely and quiet, despite the forgotten television still flickering across the room. Delia supposed she should return to her pumpkin pie to complete it once and for all, especially before Professor Oak came back. No better time than the present.

Her pie was the first thing Delia's eyes fell upon once she reentered the kitchen. Absentmindedly she stared at it as though the dish were a pool of wisdom. She told Ash that pumpkins were lucky tonight. What were the odds that her pumpkin pie might bring Ash an additional dosage of fortune this Halloween?

The phone was not ringing. There still were no sounds of a vehicle pulling into her driveway. No knock on the door. Nothing.

_Where the hell are you, Vic?!_

Delia knew Ash would trade every piece of candy he received for a chance to be with his father. Delia would trade so much more just to give Ash that chance. The question was whether or not Victor would do the same.

She was starting to wonder if Victor's tardiness was due to forces outside their power. What if there had been an accident? The entire Indigo and Viridian City area was a busy metropolis; car crashes were commonplace. Although, if there had been an accident, Delia figured a doctor or cop would have contacted her by now.

Her worrisome nature was getting Delia nowhere. She could riddle herself with "what ifs?" and worst-case scenarios all night long; it would accomplish nothing. What mattered most was Ash and making sure he enjoyed his favorite holiday at its utmost. Whatever else happened, Delia would deal with it when and if it came.

But now she found herself worried for both her son's sake and her husband's. Delia still loved her spouse, she just did not love what Victor had been doing with his life lately. She did not love how Victor's Pokemon journey tore a gap between him and Ash. She did not love how Victor was late to take their son trick-or-treating! But though there were many things Delia no longer loved about her husband, Victor was still the father of her child, and yes, Delia did care about him. The last thing she wanted was for Ash's favorite holiday to be turned into a tragedy.

_One step at a time_, Delia told herself whist carefully re-writing her "Happy Halloween" message in whipped cream. _Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill until we know what's going on. Victor _loves_ Ash. He would never let his son down…_

_Ding-dong!_

"Aarrgh!" Delia groaned, the doorbell startling her from her deep thoughts and jarring the whipped cream canister. Well, "Happy Halloweeeee," was better than Delia's earlier attempt. Maybe instead of worrying so much about her husband Delia should worry about baking another pie.

After setting everything aside Delia hurried to the front door. She could not tell how many people were waiting outside: more trick-or-treaters, or was it…? Her heart rate accelerated with each passing second. The doorknob slipped against her sweaty palm. Unlike the previous times she answered the door, Delia prayed with every fiber that Mr. Ketchum was on the other side. _Please!_ Third time had to be the charm, right?

Delia was about to find out.

**~ To Be Continued in Chapter Two ~**

* * *

**FYI**: In case readers didn't already notice, this story will feature OC residents of Pallet, many who appeared in past fanfics of mine (I've sorta' created my own Pallet Town over the years :P). But I don't lay claim to Gary's older sister, May (not Haruka from Advanced Generation), who appears in Toshihiro Ono's Pokemon manga adaptation, _The Electric Tale of Pikachu_ (a manga that Viz should rerelease immediately. Uncut, too). Please read that hilarious manga, if you haven't already. ;)

Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated, too. :3 Onto chapter 2!


	2. Chapter Two

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters, Little Red Riding Hood, Frankenstein, Count Dracula, Jell-O, Milky Way, Barbie _and_ Ken _dolls_, York Peppermint Patties, The Addams Family_, or _Disney's Cinderella._

* * *

**My Little Pumpkin  
**_Aiselne Phoenix_

**~ Chapter Two ~**

Halloween night's conditions varied from year to year in Pallet Town. The autumn foliage was ever present along with dipping temperatures, but some years were cooler than others, and there was always weather to take into account. Ash remembered the Halloween before last; everyone (children and grownup alike) dressed as heavily as Eskimos because Old Man Winter dumped an unexpectedly early foot of snow. But come snow, rain, wind, or what-have-you, few things prevented kids from trick-or-treating—as long as their parents okayed it, of course. Mother Nature's influence could never rival that of a child's _actual_ mother.

Fortunately, tonight's weather was as idyllic as Ash could have hoped. The autumn chill was in the air but not cold enough to warrant the wearing of extra layers. More often than not, October was cool enough for a kid to wear at least a light jacket over (or under, if possible) his costume. Ash never liked that, worried a coat would conceal his outfit and look dumb, especially when passersby could no longer recognize what he dressed up as. Ash was particularly proud of this year's farmer's costume and he wanted the whole world to see.

Shriveled leaves colored brown and yellow swirled in the gentle night breeze, ending their dance into a leaf pile that had been raked to the side of one neighbor's yard. Stars speckled the sky, along with the proverbial harvest moon glowing eerie shadows behind nearby clouds. Weather-wise, tonight was a perfect Halloween; any more picturesque and a wolf would inexplicably howl in the background.

Gary breathed in the brisk air, exhaling a dim puff of steam. "Wow! Can you believe the haul we got at the Torrance place?" the boy boasted not long after he, Ash, and his grandpa left the said residency. He snuck a few peeks into his pillowcase-made candy bag, an impressive percentage of space occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Torrance's treats. "Two mini-sized boxes of candy corn, a popcorn ball, and two—no wait, _three_ lollipops! I think these're the kind with bubblegum in the middle, too. Sweet!"

Ash could not agree more. Hardly fifteen minutes had passed since he and the Oaks left his house, and despite their late start the candy-collecting was coming along bountifully. The Torrance house was their fourth stop down the street and already Ash could no longer see the bottom of his pumpkin pail.

"Kinda' makes me wonder if they'll run out of candy soon, though." Ash was not complaining whatsoever. But he would feel bad if other kids arrived on the Torrances' doorstep later, denied candy due to the fault of the homeowners giving away too many goodies too early in the evening. The unspoken rule of Halloween was "early birds catch the worms," but it still did not seem fair to Ash. "I hope they've got enough stuff for everybody."

"Trust me, boys, Mr. and Mrs. Torrance know what they're doing," Professor Oak reassured, though none too nicely murmuring, "They're dentists."

Blissfully ignorant of the aforementioned, Gary and Ash continued onward. The night was young, the neighbors were friendly, and the candy was fun to receive. Yet, Ash still could not entirely immerse himself into the Halloween spirit. His mind incessantly wandered back home, wondering if his dad had finally arrived. The boy was not nearly as quick on his feet, despite the many more houses yet to be visited. Ash did not want to get too far away once Victor came looking for him. Every so often Ash would peer over his shoulder, hoping to see his father running, waving his hand, hollering, "Wait for me, kiddo!" But no such luck, not yet.

Professor Oak noticed and understood Ash's behavior. Even Sam kept an eye out for Victor, or at least Victor's truck. Where _was_ he?

Victor and Delia's troubles had certainly not gone unnoticed by the Oaks, who for all intents and purposes were the Ketchums' extended family. That did not mean Samuel overstepped his boundaries, of course; Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum's marital issues were none of his business. Sam did not take sides because he cared equally for Delia and Victor. But he did worry, especially about Ash, Sam's second grandson as far as he was concerned. Children were very susceptible to problems with their parents. Gary and May changed after their parents' deaths; May became quieter and Gary became more confrontational. And though the Ketchums' circumstances were not as tragic as the Oaks', Samuel noticed subtle changes in Ash ever since Delia and Victor began distancing. The black-haired child wore a brave smile. Ash did not want to become a burden and make matters worse, and his selflessness deeply concerned Professor Oak. Exactly how much pain was that boy bottling up inside his little body? Sam shuddered to think what might happen once the bottle reached its limit.

Professor Oak just prayed that Halloween's festivities would distract Ash long enough, at least until his dad finally arrived. Where in the world was Victor Ketchum?!

"Wanna' visit that house next?" Sam overheard Gary ask Ash, the boys more interested in trick-or-treating for the moment, much to the professor's relief.

His grandson pointed at the Torrances' next-door neighbors, the Robinsons, their property lavishly decorated for the evening. The large front yard resembled a cemetery, false headstones randomly scattered along the walkway, each with its own spooky (albeit woefully pun-ish) engraving: "Happy HallowSCREAM," "In Memory of Our Daughter: WE LOVED HER TO DEATH," and Sam's personal favorite, "Here Lies Jack the RIPper." Kent and Shelly Robinson always put on quite a show during holidays, their yard's Christmastime winter wonderland another example. Inflatable ghosts "haunted" the faux graveyard, whilst creepy music played from the boom box perched on the Robinsons' cobwebbed-covered porch.

Ash and Gary scampered up the steps, never heeding the "B-WARE ZOM-Bs" sign hung from the front door. Not a second after the doorbell buzzed had Mrs. Robinson debuted in her ghastly zombie costume, wearing a dirty, ragged dress, sickly-colored makeup, and her gray wig was a tangled mess of twigs and rubber worms. If nobody knew better they would have automatically assumed Shelly was fresh from one of the graves in her yard.

However, unlike the movie zombies that walked like drunks and spoke in moans, Mrs. Robinson was perfectly coordinated and friendly to her young visitors. She did not stink like the undead, either, which Ash and Gary's noses liked. In fact, the boys detected fresh brownies wafting from her kitchen inside.

But before anything else, the children knew what they had to say. In perfect synchronicity Ash and Gary smiled and chirped, "Trick or treat!"

Wondering how anyone could resist their request, Mrs. Robinson happily obliged. "Hello there, boys! My, don't you look cute!" she greeted, wasting no time to present a tray of goodies; homemade brownies covered in pumpkin-shaped sprinkles, individually wrapped with cobweb-patterned plastic wrap tied with an orange bow. The brownies were fresh, Ash and Gary noticed upon receiving one each, as the packages were still warm.

"And I'll give Gary an extra brownie for his grandpa," Shelly included, not one to forget the adults shadowing their kids tonight. The professor smiled sheepishly, not expecting the kind gesture but appreciating it nonetheless. "I've baked plenty! Don't be shy."

Gary thanked her again, putting Samuel's brownie inside his bag for the time being. There would be more time to sift through the goodies once the trio returned to Ash's house. Perhaps by then Gramps might forget all about the extra brownie and let Gary sneak it for himself.

"Thank you very much, Shelly," replied Professor Oak, teasingly poking his grandson's shoulder. "I'll be _sure_ to enjoy it the moment we get home." The so-called old man was not _that_ forgetful yet, nor was Sam stupid enough not to see through his grandson's mischief. Gary silently slumped in defeat. Smiling victoriously, Professor Oak winked at the zombielike woman, concocting an undead pun of his own. "Your pastries are to die for." Though he was partial to Delia's, Sam had no intention of insulting Mrs. Robinson.

The adults chuckled and the children rolled their eyes. Professor Oak's puns were no different than his haikus; they left an awful lot to be desired. But even Ash and Gary believed that grownups deserved to have fun tonight as much as their kids. What better way to acknowledge fun than through jovial laughter?

But as fun as the Robinsons' visit had been, Ash could only stare aimlessly at his brownie. It looked and smelt delicious, but the brownie itself was not the reason for his absentmindedness. A tiny flare of jealousy crept through his veins after watching Gary get a second treat. Had the black-haired boy not been raised better, Ash might have greedily asked for an extra brownie, not for himself but for the _other_ chaperone in their group. Mr. Ketchum was missing all the fun! It did not seem fair that Professor Oak would have a brownie for later and Victor would have none. Maybe if Ash explained the situation to Mrs. Robinson she would understand and gladly save a brownie for Victor. She baked so many, after all…

"Why, hello there, Samuel!" friendlily bellowed Shelly's husband, appearing behind his wife and inadvertently preventing Ash from opening his mouth. Kent Robinson's zombie costume was the male counterpart of his wife's, except his featured an additional prop: headgear that gave the illusion of somebody having stuck a plastic axe into his head. Knowing the vast majority of neighborhood trick-or-treaters were juveniles, Kent wisely opted not to use any fake blood or brains. As such, he looked almost funny walking around with a headband-bound toy axe atop his hair. Ash and Gary certainly were not traumatized. "And happy Halloween, Gary. Ash. You guys getting lots of goodies tonight?"

The boys nodded, although Gary's nod offered a smidgen more glee. "Sure are! Thanks again for the brownies."

"You're very welcome, kids," Mr. Robinson replied, nudging his wife's tattered arm. "But don't thank me; thank my wife for turning our kitchen into Pallet's biggest bakery. Heh, not that I'm complaining."

"I'm sure you aren't, dear," Shelly teased with rolling eyes, nudging right back at her spouse's paunch. No sooner did a sharp _ding_ echo from inside the Robinsons' house. "Oh! Sounds like my next batch is done. If you gentlemen will excuse me I've got more brownies to wrap." But before she disappeared inside, Mrs. Robinson gave one last smile to the little ones in costumes. "Happy Halloween, boys! Have fun out there!"

"We will!" Ash and Gary waved goodbye to her.

After his wife vanished Mr. Robinson returned his attention to Professor Oak, then Gary, then Ash…then back to Professor Oak. Call him crazy, but Kent had a sinking suspicion that something was missing from his visitors' group.

"So it's just the three of you tonight, Sam?" Kent casually inquired, folding his arms. "I figured Vic would be joining you guys. He still off in Johto?"

Professor Oak cringed, though if Kent noticed he never let on. Half of Sam wanted to wring Mr. Robinson's neck, but the other half of Sam simply berated _himself_. How could the professor have forgotten? Aside how small-town neighbors often knew each other's business, Samuel kicked himself for forgetting the Robinsons' more personal relations with the Ketchums. Kent and his older brother Geoffrey grew up with Victor in Pallet Town, buddies since way back when, and Geoffrey was now the Ketchums' family lawyer, no less. And considering Victor's sporadic visits to Pallet, his friends were bound to eventually ask questions.

Except Sam did not want to be the person to answer those questions, especially in the presence of Victor's poor son! If Kent's inquiry bothered Professor Oak, it was anyone's guess how Ash felt. Even Professor Oak, a grown man unperturbed by Halloween's spookiest things, was too afraid to look at the child's face and find out.

At the moment, Ash did not want eyes on him.

"Victor's running late," Samuel answered, praying to every omnipotent Pokemon that Victor was indeed on his way. Besides, the jury was still out regarding whether or not Mr. Ketchum would show up tonight, so there was no point in bursting anyone's (specifically Ash's) bubble just yet. "We got a head start instead."

Mr. Robinson seemed to notice something was amiss, but he was smart enough not to stick his nose where it did not belong. Although younger than the Robinson brothers, Victor Ketchum was a dear old friend. But even Kent noticed something amiss lately. Was now the time to investigate? _Now_? On Halloween night? With Victor's very son standing not three feet away?! Kent did not need his brother's master's degree in law to know he was treading thin ice. Best to save twenty questions for later, preferably when Victor was around.

"Well, I think I've kept you guys long enough!" Mr. Robinson reverted his demeanor back to his big smile with the bigger voice. No sense in ruining Ash and Gary's evening. "I know better than to stand between kids and their Halloween. Ha! You wouldn't _believe_ the ruckus my girls made before their Uncle Geoffrey finally took em' trick-or-treating with a whole bunch of friends. But, heck, Halloween comes once a year, right boys?"

Patting said boys on their heads, Kent complimented, "By the way, your costumes are awesome! Ash, did your mom make yours? Be sure to tell her she did a great job, okay?"

Mr. Kent's compliment was nice, and it did alleviate a fraction of Ash's melancholy. Alas, the feeling was fleeting as he, Gary, and Professor Oak gave their thanks and bade farewell to the Robinsons and their spooktacular graveyard. Ash doubted Mr. Robinson meant to rub salt in his wounds. Sadly, it did not change that fact that Victor had yet to show his face. Considering Kent was his dad's pal, Ash almost wished the Robinsons magically received a phone call or something, giving them the preemptive knowledge that yes, Victor was on his way. But even Ash knew he was thinking stupidly; why would his father inform the Robinsons (or anyone) of his visit instead of calling Delia?! Ash noticed Professor Oak's cell phone was not ringing, either.

Disappointment began to sour Ash's mood. In a way he was glad he never asked Mrs. Robinson for a second brownie; it saved himself the embarrassment, and more importantly, did Victor even deserve a treat? Delia never rewarded wrongdoings so why should Ash? Maybe it would serve Victor right if he arrived late, saw all the sweets Ash collected in his pumpkin pail, and was not allowed one little piece of candy. Of course, parents did not seem to covet candy quite as much as their children. It probably would be no skin off Victor's neck if he did or did not get his fair share of sweets. But at the moment, his six-year-old son could not think of any better punishment.

The boy blinked, stunned with himself for actually thinking so spitefully. Ash's parents did not raise him to seek vengeance; they wanted their son to be a good boy.

_But _haven't_ I been a good boy?_ wondered Ash, wracking his brain, trying to remember what he did to deserve not trick-or-treating with his daddy. Nobody was perfect, every kid had their moments, but Ash tried his best to behave. _I know I broke Mom's favorite vase when Gary and I played with empty Pokeballs in the house. And once I rode my bike in the driveway and scratched the bumper on Dad's truck... It was an accident. Really!_ Forget the fact that the aforementioned misdemeanors happened well over a year ago.

_I know Mom and Dad don't like it when Gary and I argue, and…and I suppose I did kinda' bug Mom earlier today. She was busy and I kept hounding her…I shouldn't have, but I was just so excited! I couldn't help it. I'm sorry, Mom._

_I'm sorry, Dad. I'll be good, I _promise_! I'll be good for the rest of my life if you just come trick-or-treating with me._

It was Halloween, a night for trick-or-treating and having fun, not moping and crying. Ash tried his hardest to cover his face in the shadow of his straw hat. He did not want to be the party-pooper who spoiled Gary and Professor Oak's holiday, either. But it was hard for Ash to maintain a stiff upper lip, never mind a smile, when all he could think about was one thing:

_Where are you, Daddy? I miss you._

* * *

"There! Finally done!"

Delia had to hand it to herself; her perseverance paid off. The Oaks' pumpkin pie present turned out perfectly, even if it took her longer to complete than normal. _But all's well that ends well, right?_

She kept telling herself that all night long.

A lull had transpired after Delia's last group of trick-or-treaters roughly twenty minutes ago. When they first rang her doorbell Delia had been so certain (or hopeful) that Victor finally arrived. No such luck. She slapped on a smile for the candy-craving kids on her stoop, but afterwards Delia took out her frustrations on a sofa pillow. She nearly screamed into it, but the unfortunate cushion suffered enough for one night. After recomposing herself, Delia finished her better-late-than-never pie, savoring the uplifting essence of accomplishment for a grand total of two minutes before reality reared its ugly head again.

It was quarter of eight by the time she cleaned up and sat down at the kitchenette. Earlier Delia tried to watch television, an attempt to preoccupy her mind, but to no avail. To be expected, most programs were Halloween-centric. One extreme: family-focused, G-rated Halloween flicks starring happy families having a happy holiday and reminding Delia how her life should be happy, happy, happy! The other extreme: R-rated Halloween films with more blood and nastiness than Pallet's downtown butcher shop. At the moment Delia's stomach could not handle either genre, so she gave the TV a rest and sought refuge in her kitchen.

Sitting at the kitchenette, Delia's brown eyes randomly skimmed the kitchen. In retrospect, she had been grateful for her pumpkin pie's challenge, because now Delia felt lonely without a little project to keep her busy. _What to do now?_ There was no point in undertaking a time-consuming job when trick-or-treaters might ring her doorbell anytime. Thus, her mind wandered aimlessly on _anything_ to get her mind off the looming sadness.

_Maybe I should listen to the radio?_ Delia pondered, staring at the old electronic device collecting dust on her counter. _Oh right, it needs new batteries, doesn't it? AA batteries, I think…do I have extras downstairs?_ Then her eyes moved to her pocketbook across the dinette. _Maybe I should run down to the drug store and pick up some more batteries. It's always good to have them. I'm pretty sure I've got a coupon somewhere…_

As soon as she reached for her purse, Delia's same hand slammed palm-down onto the table. She hardly felt the stinging along her reddening skin. She hardly cared, either.

After slowly retracting her burning palm, its fingers submerged into her auburn locks, Delia's other hand followed suit. Batteries were not Delia's problem. Her temples throbbed, the headache being the only reason Delia never tore her hair from its roots. She wanted to scream again, she wanted to cry, she wanted…

She wanted Victor to keep his promise.

* * *

By eight o'clock, Ash's pail and Gary's bag were half full. The trio was three and a half streets away from the Ketchum house, still remaining local in the event Victor was catching up. Professor Oak stopped holding his breath, but he did not have the heart to let Ash know.

Nothing had been said about Mr. Robinson's earlier comment and Ash was thankful. After visiting several more houses he began to feel like his typical self, enjoying Halloween for what it was, and trying not to dwell on what Halloween might have been. Victor was rarely far from Ash's thoughts, but his son gradually allowed the holiday bliss to take over.

"Wasn't Dena's costume the coolest?" Gary raved, constantly maintaining a conversation with Ash, keeping his friend's mind on more positive topics. Dena Johansson lived two houses down from Ash, a friendly little lady perpetually in pigtails. She and her father had been walking down the sidewalk opposite Gary's group when Dena shouted hello. It was a good thing that Dena spoke first, too, because Ash, Gary, and even Sam would never have recognized her otherwise. Her homemade werewolf costume was elaborate, covering her head to foot in faux Poochyena fur. Ash appreciated every effort Delia put into his costume, but he could not begin to fathom how many hours (perhaps days? Weeks?) it took Mr. Johansson to make his daughter's awesome attire. "She looked like a real werewolf, didn't she, Ash?"

"Sure did!" Ash nodded enthusiastically. "I wish I could see the look on Dena's face when she visits the Hernandez' house cause' Mr. H was a pretty scary Big Bad Wolf," his wife dressed as Red Riding Hood, naturally. Ash liked adults who dressed up for Halloween; it proved to him that the holiday's fun was not necessarily exclusive to children. It was a shame that Delia opted out of a costume this year. She had more important things on her mind than a Halloween costume, and under the circumstances with Victor Ash did not push the issue. Professor Oak did not go gung-ho on his Frankenstein costume, either—only a recycled lab coat and cheap make-up—but there was something to be said for simplicity. And if Ash remembered correctly, his dad said he might wear a pirate's outfit, or at least the cool hat and eye patch…

…Ash _had_ to stop thinking about Victor. Else, the boy would lose his mind before the night was over.

Unbeknownst to the younger boy, Gary bit his lip. He felt bad for Ash, truly. It sucked to not have a dad around. But at least the reason for Gary's absentee parents was due to a tragic accident. Victor had no such excuse, at least none that Gary (or anyone else for that matter) was aware of.

Of what Gary recalled from his and Ash's youngest years, Victor Ketchum was a great guy. Sometimes he watched the boys for an afternoon, often allowing them to play with his impeccably raised Pokemon. Gary always admired Mr. Ketchum's prized Nidoking; a gargantuan beast with huge jaws and a solid body covered in poison-imbued horns. Little Gary had been quite intimidated when he first met Nidoking. Make no mistake; the Poison Type was as powerful as it looked, Victor Ketchum's oldest and strongest Pokemon. But what a surprise it had been for everyone to learn that Nidoking also happened to be the gentlest of Victor's team. Gary wondered if he could ever train a Nidoking to be half as impressive as Mr. Ketchum's.

Ash was not the only Pokemon lover to be in awe of Victor—in many ways Mr. Ketchum inspired Gary as much as the boy's own grandfather. More personally, Gary was no stranger to surrogate dads like Samuel. Because Victor had once played a more prominent role in Ash and Gary's childhoods, the auburn-haired kid had come to consider Victor another father figure. He never admitted such to Ash, though; Gary was somewhat embarrassed, and he was unsure how Ash might react. Considering the Ketchums' diabolical changes of late, Gary was glad he upheld his silence.

Everyone's opinions about Victor had changed, but because he had once been such a wonderful resident of Pallet Town nobody was quite ready to completely give up on him. The man was undergoing a rough patch in his life. Would ostracizing him make matters better? It was not as though Victor became an alcoholic or drug addict. He was not dangerous, not in the physical sense (although he had caused emotional damage to his loved ones). Victor simply wanted to chase his dreams, values he always taught his son and family. Was that _really_ so bad?

Gary braved a second-long glance at his best friend. Without an activity or conversation to preoccupy his thoughts Ash sank right back into despondency. _Poor Ash. He's trying really, really hard to keep smiling, isn't he?_ Of all people, Gary Oak knew what it was like to feign happiness, especially on account of a missing parent.

Steeling himself, Gary mustered the courage to throw an arm around his buddy, maintaining his energy as he pointed to the upcoming house, or specifically what was _behind_ the house. "Hey, Ash! Check it out! The Redfields' backyard has a haunted house display! How cool is that?! Can we go in, Grandpa, pleeeease?"

Professor Oak's grandson was not the only kid interested in the Redfield family's property. Visitors of all ages came and went from the haunted house, which was actually a large Halloween-ornamented tent pitched in the Redfields' backyard. The tent's canvas glowed from the flickering strobe lights inside, casting shadows of bizarre figures choreographed to creepy music and sound effects piped through outdoor speakers. A jack-o-lantern-lined walkway was visible from the Redfields' front yard, directing visitors to the back where the fun could be found. It obviously was not a private party because a sign posted to the front lawn's fence read: COME RIGHT IN, EVERYONE—IF YOU DARE!

"You sure you kids can handle it?" Sam lightly teased, knowing the boys were as likely to refuse as a Snorlax at an all-you-can-eat buffet. From his vantage point in the front yard Professor Oak could not tell if the Redfields' "haunted house" was 100% child-friendly. Some people went overboard when it came to Halloween's scariness, and Sam did not want to suffer Delia's wrath if Ash got nightmares. He certainly did not want to traumatize his own grandson, either. Fortunately, the professor did notice one group of visitors leaving the Redfield residence, several children in tow and not one of them was screaming, bawling, or showing signs of the haunted house being excessively frightening. Sam took solace in knowing Mr. and Mrs. Redfield had a young son of their own, too.

"Can we go in already? Can we?!" Gary practically hopped in place, and with his arm still around Ash the black-haired farmer could not help but jump along. The only thing excessive about tonight was Gary's insistency to maintain Ash's spirits, not that such was a bad thing. It was not long before Ash contracted Gary's curiosity and joined his friend's pleas to visit the spooky tent. "Pleeeease? It looks awesome!"

Two bouncy boys versus one old man; Professor Oak certainly was not about to challenge those odds. "Okay. Okay! Just as long as I come along and make sure it's not too scary for you boys."

"Aaw, _come'on_, Gramps!" whined the grandson, hating to be babied by a grownup.

Of course, Professor Oak had the best counterattack. "It's either that or we skip the house completely." Nobody argued afterwards.

The Redfields' backyard was yet another haunted graveyard, much like the Robinsons' except bigger and featuring the haunted tent/house as its centerpiece. Up-close the tent was larger than it appeared from the street, the marquee type of tent people rented for outdoor receptions. Black, torn curtains had been draped over the sides, and pinned to each were cobwebs, orange streamers, and plastic masks that resembled floating heads. Standing by the tent's entrance was a full skeleton, the kind seen in science labs, propped by a well-hidden coat rack. Its left hand had been raised as though waving, welcoming Ash, Gary, and Professor Oak with its skull's jawless smile.

The tent's front flapped open, revealing the tall, ginger-haired Mr. Redfield in a classic Count Dracula costume. Behind his false fangs was a mischievous smile as he spoke in a cheap Transylvanian accent. "Mwahaha! Goood evening! My family velcomes you to our haunted attraction. But first, how many of you vill be joining us? I must tell my bride vhat is for dinner."

Had Charlie Redfield not been smiling lightheartedly, Ash and Gary might have been a little scared (but only a little). They laughed instead whilst Professor Oak answered the vampire's question.

"Just the three of us, Chuck," said Samuel, knowing Mr. Redfield was screening his visitors. The vampire poked his head back into the tent for one moment, obviously telling his wife or helper inside that two little boys were about to enter. Rustling ensued inside. The Redfields made sure everything was in its proper place, and more importantly that the tent's scariness was remotely age-appropriate: scary, but not too scary. The corner of Sam's eye caught a particularly grotesque creature get booted out the other end of the Redfields' tent. Professor Oak wondered if _he_ might endure nightmares after seeing that thing.

Once everything was ready the announcement was made. "Very vell! You may enter!" Mr. Redfield reappeared with wide arms displaying his black, Crowbat-shaped cape. "But I must varn you; many who enter never return. You'd best tread lightly, and vhatever you do, children…" he warned, leaning closer to Ash and Gary's levels. The kids swallowed, expecting the vampire to say something creepy.

Instead, Mr. Redfield winked and dropped his accent. "…Take all the candy you like, okay? You too, Professor."

Beaming ear to ear the boys cheered, thanking Mr. Redfield before proceeding inside. Fog was pumped from the floor, immersing the children into a white smokescreen. Witchy cackles and monster moans could be heard from a nearby speaker, pumping further adrenaline into the small visitors. The suspense alone was worth the effort as Ash and Gary watched the fog clear and unveil the tent's innards.

Much to the boys' surprise the tent was not a haunted house at all—its design better resembled a haunted buffet! Two long rectangular, cafeteria-like tables ran the length of the tent. Atop were tattered tablecloths of various, sickly colors: brown, gray, with fake red bloodstains here and there. Decorating the table were lit candles of all shapes and sizes, many oozing thick clumps of wax.

Countless table settings revealed a multitude of dinner "selections." Most bowls were full of candy for the trick-or-treaters' taking. But some plates were for display only, nobody brave enough to eat spaghetti-molded brains (plus, other kids had constantly dared each other to poke the wiggly brains with their dirty fingers). One setting had all its silverware embedded in a dinner plate's _Jell-O_ heart. Next to it was a wineglass filled with liquid dyed blood-red and an olive pierced with a toothpick. Ash squealed with disturbed delight when he looked closer and realized the "olive" was a candy eyeball. Gary could not get enough of the sugar skulls with rainbow gummy worms spewing from their eyeless sockets. It was so cool!

"Hey, Gary!" Ash called out from one end of the tent. "Check out this jack-o-lantern with the Haunter balloon popping out its top!" Indeed, the plastic pumpkin worked like a jack-in-the-box, and when Ash wound the crank a spring-loaded, inflatable Haunter shot out. The black-haired boy jumped with a start, then laughed merrily and wound the toy again. "Neat!"

The doctor-clad brunette was much more engrossed elsewhere. "Not as cool as this foam Ariados with the headless _Ken_ dolls!" Hanging above the display was a sign, its text written in drippy black goo: THE WIDOW MAKER. Gary did not fully understand what it meant, but he liked it nonetheless. It gave him naughty ideas to raid May's _Barbie_ collection, just to see how his big sister would react.

Professor Oak did not quite comprehend the Redfields' macabre sense of humor. He doubted Delia would approve, at least not without second thoughts. But as long as Ash and Gary were smiling instead of screaming he had no reason to complain. As the boys ogled all over the tent, Sam shrugged and helped himself a mini _Milky Way_ bar from the bowl beside a shrunken…_head?! What in hell—?!_

"Let's not take too long, boys," advised Sam, not wanting to overstay his welcome. The Redfields' attraction was sure to be popular, and it would be rude for Gary and Ash to hog it for themselves. More kids were bound to want their turn soon enough. Besides, that freaky shrunken head was giving Professor Oak the heebie-jeebies.

Understanding, the boys gradually proceeded towards the exit, taking their fair share of candy (Professor Oak kept tabs) along the way. Ash spied a bowl of silvery-wrapped _Peppermint Patties_, making sure to get some for his mom. Directly beside the bowl sat a mannequin at the table, her long dark hair straight as a pin. Pale skin contrasted her black, slim-fitting dress, its sleeves covering her arms and its skirt effortlessly reaching the ground. She reminded Ash of Morticia from _The Addams Family._

That, and her painted face bore a striking resemblance to Mrs. Redfield.

"Gah!" Ash gasped upon realizing the mannequin was living and breathing. Maggie Redfield could not help but giggle as she rose from her seat, amicably patting the child's hat-covered head.

"Hehe, sorry to frighten you like that, hon," smiled Mrs. Redfield, waving hello to Gary and Samuel as they joined Ash's side. "But what's the point of Halloween without a little spooky, right?"

No harm done, Ash flashed her a grin. "That's okay. Your costume's really great, Mrs. Redfield!"

Maggie blushed underneath her makeup. "Oh thank you! But don't sell yourselves short; you guys have some pretty nice outfits yourselves. I hope Halloween's been treating you well." Then Ash and Gary proudly showed her their haul of goodies, none too shabby as far as anyone was concerned. "Good for you! It's nice to see kids enjoying themselves tonight."

Samuel blinked, noticing the woman's choice of words. Mr. and Mrs. Redfield seemed to be enjoying their family's Halloween extravaganza, yet… "By the way, how's Kyle doing?" Professor Oak asked, referring to the Redfield's only son. Gary was also interested. "I hope he's having a fun Halloween."

It was obvious that Maggie did not want to broach the subject. But being friends with the Oaks, Mrs. Redfield did not want to rudely ignore the professor. "Kyle's been in and out of the house tonight, helping with the tent and all. That's about it. He said he wanted to stay home this year."

Ash could barely believe his ears. What kind of kid did not want to go trick-or-treating on Halloween?!

Mrs. Redfield said no more. Samuel did not pry, but he did feel sorry. Kyle Redfield was one year older than Ash and Gary, well acquainted with the latter. The quiet red-haired boy frequented Professor Oak's lab on weekends. When he was not busy devouring Sam's lectures Kyle had his nose buried in one of the professor's many books. Sam actually had high hopes for Kyle to be a future Pokemon researcher, but he also worried sometimes. The poor boy was incessantly picked on for being a geeky bookworm. Many times Sam noticed the remains of a bloody nose bruising Kyle's face. Even quaint communities like Pallet Town had bullies. Of all the Saturdays when Samuel saw Kyle at his lab, he never once saw the redhead bring along a friend. Gary liked him, but it made little difference during the week when Kyle attended a different school.

Kyle's choice to stay home made sense. Without friends, there was no point in trick-or-treating with the very classmates who tormented him on a daily basis. Some kids were mean like that. Some kids were unlucky like that, too. The cruel truth coerced Gary's face to droop, and Ash also felt bad. He only met Kyle a handful of times but the young redhead certainly never bothered him, nor deserved to be treated so badly by his peers.

It also opened Ash's eyes to the reality of his own situation. Indeed, there were worse ways to spend a holiday. Kyle was probably up in his room, alone, missing out on the wonderful celebrations. He obviously was not around to enjoy his own parents' funhouse. Ash's Halloween had not transpired the way he originally envisioned, either, yet he still managed to enjoy himself. Moping about his dad was rather selfish on Ash's behalf, even if he had every right to be upset. He was not the only kid with problems. Maybe it was time Ash Ketchum did something about that.

Facing the adults, Ash humbly spoke. "Um, Professor Oak? Mrs. Redfield? Would it be okay if Kyle joined us for trick-or-treating?" He realized his request came out of nowhere, but desperate times called for desperate measures. When fun and candy were on the line, matters did not get more desperate for children on Halloween. Besides, what harm was there in asking? "If Kyle wants to come along, of course."

Sam and Maggie were surprised to say the least, but their hearts inevitably swelled thanks to the child's kindness. Not one to be shown up by Ash, Gary immediately second his friend's suggestion, and once again the boys teamed up against the grownups to get what they wanted. Only this time their request was entirely unselfish.

Maggie looked like she might cry, kneeling down to scoop both boys into a group hug. She and her husband were worried about their son and how his classmates' alienation might be affecting him. Kyle's rigid grandfather claimed the boy should "toughen up" and "be a man," whereas Maggie believed her boy just needed some friends.

"Thank you, sweeties. Really," choked Mrs. Redfield, affectionately squeezing the kids before parting. "Why don't you wait outside for a few minutes? I'll go talk to Kyle." After guiding the trio out the tent and into the brisk open air, Maggie headed for the indoors, but not before whispering to Professor Oak, "They're angels."

Samuel believed no truer words were said. Delia would be proud.

* * *

_Ding-dong!_

It was eight-thirty and the two trick-or-treaters standing on the Ketchums' doorstep brought no surprise to Delia. The bandage-wrapped mummies were unfamiliar, received their candy, and went on their merry way. Strange how the holiday had suddenly become mechanical for Delia: doorbell rings, give candy, then wait for the next group. Rinse and repeat. She was not stupid enough to expect a "surprise" visit from anyone else tonight.

"_Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring, ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring, ring, ring! Ring…"_

The only remotely surprising occurrence this evening was Delia's videophone flickering to life. With the trick-or-treaters gone she headed for the phone and picked up the receiver. Samuel was probably calling to let her know that he and the boys were heading back. Or maybe it was another telemarketer.

"_Deeli? It's me."_

Never did she expect her husband to call. Not _now._

"Where are you, Victor Ketchum?" Delia wasted zero time getting to the point. It took every ounce of hard-earned self-control for her voice to remain steady and not blast his ear off.

Ash was the spitting image of his father, their hair and skin colors identical. Ages and heights aside, the biggest difference was the males' eyes: Victor's were green, whereas Ash got his brown eyes from his mother. Nevertheless, Delia had no doubts that her son would look like Victor's twin one day.

Hopefully Ash would grow up to be a tad more reliable than his father.

"_New Bark Town. I just came from Cherrygrove City."_ At least Victor had the decency not to beat around the bush. His face and voice were direct, the demeanor of a man who knew he was at fault and intended to own up to his mistake. Delia would give him credit for that, and that alone. _"If you want me to give you an excuse I will."_

"I appreciate the offer but I'm not interested," Delia replied curtly. "My brain is already overloaded after wondering one-hundred and one different reasons why you didn't show up tonight, Victor. Some of which, I might add, were legitimate reasons. Can you at least tell me your excuse is _legit_?"

There was a slight pause. _"I have a feeling your definition of 'legit' won't match that of a Pokemon trainer's, Delia."_

That was all the woman needed to hear. Every blasted excuse Victor made had something to do with Pokemon. Despite never becoming a trainer, Delia Ketchum loved the incredible creatures. She visited Professor Oak's lab and ranch daily, petting Ponytas and Growlithes, watching Butterfrees dance in the sky, and admiring the Victreebells' aroma. Years back Sam had been entrusted with a Kangaskhan undergoing rehabilitation before moving to Kanto's Safari Zone. Kanga, as Delia called her, even gave birth during her stay in Pallet, and Delia was awe-struck by the Pokemon's unparalleled maternal instincts. Victor's Pokemon were sweethearts, too; even the big scary Nidoking eventually won a place in Delia's heart. So, no, Delia Ketchum did _not_ have a problem with Pokemon, but she could not say the same regarding her husband.

At the very least, Victor seemed to put in an effort to return to Pallet, or at least return in the general _direction_ of Pallet Town. Not being a traveler, Delia's geography was limited, but she did know New Bark Town was virtually next door to Indigo Plateau, connected by the Johto/Kanto borders. Just east was Viridian City, and from there Pallet Town was within walking distance. If Victor told the truth regarding Cherrygrove City, then it meant he specifically backtracked towards the Johto/Kanto line—he _was_ heading home. Unfortunately, he was not home _yet_, and the truth sank Delia's heart. Victor was so close yet so far away.

She knew it was a long shot, but Delia could not stop herself from asking, "Is there…a chance you could make it here?"

To her surprise, Victor smiled gently. _"I sure didn't make a mad dash from Cherrygrove just for the exercise, Deeli."_

For a moment Delia wanted to kiss her husband right through the phone. To know Victor intended to keep his promise to Ash brought Delia immense happiness. But no sooner did reality check in, drawing Delia's eyes to the tiny digital clock located in the bottom corner of her videophone's screen. 8:35 P.M. and Victor was _only_ in New Bark Town! Samuel was bound to bring home Ash and Gary within the hour, and Delia did not feel comfortable with the idea of little kids wandering around town past nine.

Her happiness draining rapidly, Delia's next question was yet another long shot, albeit spoken with less desperation and more sarcasm than the one before. "Dare I ask if there's a chance you could get here within the next twenty-five minutes, Vic?" She already knew the answer to her question.

Victor sighed. _"Not without a teleporting Pokemon, I'm afraid."_

Delia snorted. It figured that of all the Pokemon Victor did own not one of them knew Teleport. "A teleporting Pokemon might be a good investment for you. Unless, of course, you don't _want_ to come back."

The man's exhaustion and exasperation was evident. He loved his wife dearly but Delia had a stubborn streak. _"You caught me, Delia. I don't want to come home—that's _exactly_ why I busted my ass these past few days heading back to the Johto/Kanto border. Or are you gonna' say you don't believe I'm actually calling from New Bark Town right now?"_

He had a point. Next to the videophone's clock display read the origin of Delia's incoming, long distance call: 8:36 P.M. | Re: NEW BARK TOWN, JOHTO. Her husband was no hacker, thus it was ludicrous to suspect Victor somehow rigged their phone to falsify his current location. Still, Delia would have felt ten times happier if the screen said VIRIDIAN CITY, KANTO, or any other location closer to Pallet Town. New Bark Town was not excruciatingly far away, but…

"_I've already got a ticket for the 8:45 bus that leaves from New Bark's Pokemon Center."_ Sadly, the more Victor talked the less Delia listened, her ears clogged by disappointment thick as cotton balls. _"It's a shuttle for trainers and it crosses the border right into Viridian City. My truck's still at the League's depot garage; just gotta grab the keys from reception and then I'll drive down to Pallet. Everything should only take about an hour. I'll be home by ten at the latest."_

Delia knew her eyes bugged out. "Ten? As in _o'clock_?!"

"_I said ten _at the latest_, Delia. Of course I'm hoping to get there sooner…"_

"You're 'hoping' to get here 'sooner." She almost laughed sardonically. "Thus says the man who should have already _gotten_ here sooner!"

Her frustrated husband ran a hand through his thick hair. _"Give me a break, Delia. I've spent the last two and a half days making my way back. Before New Bark Town I was in Cherrygrove City, and before _that_ was Violet City. That's a lot of ground to cover in a little more than forty-eight hours, hon, even with public transportation and the help of my Pokemon. There is such a thing as needing time to rest and eat, too. Or would you rather I run myself ragged? Would you rather I run my _Pokemon_ ragged, Delia? Hell, why don't I just get my license revoked for forcing Pidgeot to fly non-stop halfway through Johto?"_

Okay, yes, Delia needed to be more realistic. Although, the thought of her husband losing his license had its appeal, but Delia was not cruel enough to harm a Pokemon in the process.

"_All things considered, I think I'm making pretty good time, Deeli, especially since you called me out of the blue on Tuesday about Halloween."_

"I shouldn't have even needed to call you about Halloween, Victor. Unless you know something I don't, it's no secret that Halloween falls on October 31st each year. Nor is it a secret that Halloween happens to be your son's favorite holiday."

"_And that's exactly why I'm on my way home right now."_

"You should already _be_ home by now, Victor," Delia reprimanded, despite knowing she should be counting her blessings that her husband was even bothering to return. "I'm not your secretary; I shouldn't have to remind you about important dates. I shouldn't have to tell you to plan accordingly for family holidays. These are things that you—as a husband, as a father, and as a _grown man_—should be capable of handing on your own!"

"_What do you want me to say, Delia? That I'm in the wrong? _Of course_ I'm in the wrong! I'm well aware of my mistakes and I don't need you lecturing me about them."_

"Then don't give me a reason to lecture you, Victor. Give me a reason to think you actually care about your son's wellbeing."

Victor's face darkened almost threateningly. _"Don't drag Ash in the middle of this just to get your way, Delia."_

"Ash is already in the middle, Vic, whether we like it or not! Whether _he_ likes it or not," countered Delia, unaware that their spat caused her to lean closer to the video screen. However, bringing Ash into the conversation changed the woman's tone to a combination of anger and sadness. Both parents' faces softened at the thought of their poor little boy. "Although I can guarantee without a shadow of a doubt that Ash does _not_ like this one bit, probably more so than the two of us combined."

Her husband would not—could not—argue with Delia about that fact.

"I know Ash is hurt, yet he's trying _so hard_, Victor." The thought alone pricked Delia's eyes with tears. Ironic how a six-year-old could keep himself together better than his own mother. After sucking in her emotions Delia continued. "I don't know if he thinks everything will just blow over, or that keeping his chin up will make things better. All I do know is that our son has kept me sane ever since things went downhill."

"_He's a tough kid, Delia. His heart is strong."_

"Yes, but he's just a little boy, too. Adults have their limits; I don't want to even imagine what a six-year-old's limits might be…and I don't want you to be the one to push Ash over his limit, either, Vic."

"_Delia, you know I'm not trying to hurt our son."_

"It doesn't matter if you intended it or not, Victor. The bottom line is you're not here when Ash needs you. And you promised him!"

"_And I have every intention of keeping my promise! Ash wanted me to spend Halloween with him and we'll do just that the second I walk through the door."_

"At ten o'clock at night, Vic?!" Delia scoffed incredulously, their conversation circling back to the earlier issue. "Even if you miraculously arrived in the next five minutes it would still be too late! Sam's on his way back with the kids now. What, were you planning on trick-or-treating at _midnight_?! I realize it's Friday and there's no school tomorrow but I still won't have our six-year-old child roaming the streets at all hours of the night, even with parental supervision!"

She noticed her husband roll his forest-colored eyes. _"Delia, you're blowing this way out of proportion, honey. So I can't take Ash trick-or-treating this year; it's not the end of the world. You just said Sam's out with him so he obviously got to go trick-or-treating regardless. There's still plenty of stuff Ash and I can do together before he goes to bed, like counting candy or watching a movie. And guess what? Tomorrow's another day, and it's a Saturday, too. Ash and I can spend the whole day, even the weekend together—"_

Delia's spouse made several valid points. She particularly appreciated Victor's offer to spend the entire weekend with Ash. Just imagine the look on Ash's face once he heard the news! Perhaps Delia was making a big deal out of nothing after all.

However, the normally-cordial woman still slammed a fist against the phone's countertop, the _bang_ silencing Victor instantaneously.

"Don't…you…_dare_ play dumb with me, Victor Ketchum." Delia's deep snarl resembled a mother beast protecting her cub. Her friendly face warped in anger and anguish, furrowed features pinstriped with tears. "Yes, you promised to come home for Halloween. But what is the most momentous part of the holiday for a young child? Is it counting candy and watching movies? No! It's trick-or-treating! All afternoon Ash kept telling me how he could not wait to go trick-or-treating with his dad! Are you _really_ going to tell me this never occurred to you, Vic?!"

Of course it occurred to Victor. He kicked himself whenever he glanced at his watch and saw time fly by, and he felt lower than dirt upon realizing he could not possibly reach Pallet in time for trick-or-treating. But was there any point in explaining the details to his irate wife?

When Delia called him on Tuesday, Victor had every intention of challenging Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader. Preparing for a badge battle was nerve-wracking enough, and Delia's request did nothing to ease her husband's anxieties. He almost opted to save the gym battle until after he returned from Kanto. Almost.

Victor added that gym battle to the lengthening list of regretful things done in his life. At the time he saw no crime in going ahead with Falkner's fight. The allure of badges was equivalent to a siren's song for aspiring Pokemon trainers. Besides, Victor was already in Violet City, and who was to say Falkner would be available for another match whenever Victor revisited Johto? It was a now-or-never situation.

Plus, Victor liked the idea of returning to Pallet Town, able to show his son a shiny new Pokemon League badge. Ash would be so thrilled! The very thought of making his son proud encouraged Victor to fight his hardest against Falkner. The good news was that Victor won the match. And as an added bonus, Victor's recently caught Sentret gained enough experience to evolve into a beautiful Furret. The trip had certainly not been wasted.

The bad news was what Victor did not leave the Violet City Gym until eight o'clock that night. His Pokemon were still recuperating from their gym battle, so Victor pushed himself (and only himself) all night long, resting for catnaps here and there, in order to reach Cherrygrove City's outskirts by morning. It was no exaggeration to say he collapsed at Cherrygrove's Pokemon Center. Unfortunately, with only two days to cross the border Victor had to choose between pacing himself and meeting the deadline.

It was his own fault; Victor knew that, but what point was there in crying over spilled milk? He could not go back in time. Incidentally, Johto natives spoke of a forest spirit capable of time travel, but Victor was not naïve enough to think he would stumble upon the legendary Celebi any time soon. Even if he did, Victor was too proud to ask a Pokemon to fix the problems he willingly made.

He wanted to explain himself, but Victor knew exactly what Delia would say: he chose a damn gym badge over his own son. Not to mention the x-amount of other sacrileges Victor committed against his family ever since he decided to resume Pokemon training. But did that mean Victor was beyond redemption? Perhaps the greater question was whether or not Delia would ever allow her husband to redeem himself.

Based on the videophone's image of his wife's face painted red with anger and tears, Victor knew redemption would need to wait for another, more amicable time. There was no point in rationalizing with a hysterical woman. Plus, his shuttle was boarding.

"_Look, we can discuss this later."_ Was it dumb for Victor to pray his and Delia's later discussion might transpire more genially? Absolutely. _"I've got a bus to catch." _

"You do that, Vic." Not appreciating her husband's get-out-of-jail-free card, Delia huffed whilst wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She really had nothing more to say to him, anyway. Without saying a, "goodbye," "take care," or, "love ya, dear," Delia slammed the phone's receiver into its plastic cradle. The video screen went black just in time before Victor could see his wife's hands burry her sobbing face.

It was not about trick-or-treating. It was not about holidays. It was not even about two grownups drowning in their marital dilemmas.

It was about a little boy who loved his family with all his heart, who did nothing to deserve that heart to be broken.

* * *

It took longer for Mrs. Redfield to return with Kyle, longer than Ash ever anticipated. Maybe Kyle was uncomfortable to be invited by other kids, especially since he was accustomed to estrangement from his classmates. Or, perhaps Kyle just needed to slap together some semblance of a costume before venturing outside, since he had not planned to trick-or-treat in the first place.

Whatever the case, time was moving on. Professor Oak checked his wristwatch, the long hand skirting the quarter-of mark. Ash's offer to take Kyle trick-or-treating was sweet, but it dawned on Sam that he should have reminded Ash and Gary of their curfew. He promised Delia that the boys would be home by nine o'clock at the latest.

Professor Oak, Gary, and Ash waited off to the side of the Redfields' tent, watching all kinds of people come and go from the haunted buffet. Some neighbors waved hello; most were too busy discussing rave reviews about the Redfields' Halloween attraction. With his wife inside with Kyle, Mr. Redfield was extra busy fluttering around the yard to keep visitors happy. Dracula seemed to be enjoying himself, though.

A rather large group of costumers flowed out of the tent, almost a dozen altogether. Most appeared to be slightly older girls dressed in effeminate ensembles: princesses in poufy gowns, witches carrying broomsticks, fairies with glittery wings, and she-devils wearing red high-heeled boots (which, through Ash's eyes, looked like the most uncomfortable footwear for walking all over town. Not all of Pallet's roads were paved with concrete, either). By comparison, the crowd's handful of males seemed to be lost in the sea of femininity.

All but one.

Ash's attention was drawn to the one person who stood out from the group, undoubtedly because the man was taller than the younger kids. His height was elevated even more so by the tall hat he wore, a giant white Pidgeot-like feather ornamenting its brim. The large hat shadowed most of the grownup's unrecognizable face. But when he paused to shake hands with Mr. Redfield, Ash gaped upon seeing the stranger's black eye patch. A pirate.

Victor was going to dress as a pirate tonight, or at least wear the hat and eye patch.

With Ash's trio standing off to the side, not to mention the large group of giggly teenyboppers, the pirate did not notice the black-haired boy straining for a better look. Was it Victor? _Could_ it be Victor? It was too difficult to tell; give or take, the pirate was about Victor's height and size. But before he got his hopes up Ash wanted to at least see the man's face.

Gary noticed his friend's preoccupation. "Hey, Ash. What's up?" When no answer came, the auburn-haired child turned his head towards the general vicinity of where Ash was looking. To Gary's surprise, all he saw were young ladies. Since when was Ash Ketchum interested in _that_?! "And why are you staring at those girls? Jeez, don't tell me you like em' or something."

Fortunately, the reaction Ash gave was the reaction Gary expected. "Eeew! No way!" The last thing Ash wanted to do on Halloween was throw up, but Gary's tease did nothing to settle the boy's gag reflexes. He would have said a sharper, wisecrack response to Gary's joke, but Ash's brainpower was focused elsewhere.

Not wanting Professor Oak to overhear, Ash lowered his voice and whispered, "Do you see that guy, Gary?"

"Who? The kid in the spaceman suit standing next to Cinderella?" And mark his words, Gary only knew which princess was Cinderella due to his sister's girly taste in _Disney_ movies. It was no reflection on whether or not he actually liked the film. "I wonder if he realizes his helmet's on backwards."

"No, not him. I'm talking about the pirate; the grownup talking to Kyle's father."

"What about him?"

Ash paused, unsure if he should share his thoughts. There was no reason for Ash to jump to conclusions about the man in the pirate outfit, not without identifying him first. Knowing Gary, he might think Ash was just thinking dumbly again.

But…if Ash could not confide in Gary, his best friend in the whole wide world, whom else could he talk to? "Um…well, my dad was supposed to wear a pirate's hat and patch tonight. And he'd catch up with us while we were out trick-or-treating, right?"

"So?" blinked Gary before his mental light bulb flashed. His blue eyes widened incredulously as though Ash just told him the moon was made of Miltank cheese. He tried to keep his voice a whisper, but it was difficult when Gary understood what Ash was suggesting. "Whoa, wait. You think that guy's your dad?"

"I can't really tell from here," admitted Ash, failing to see over the crowd even whilst standing on his tiptoes. "Maybe. Maybe not. I'll never know until I go ask him." But just before Ash could walk off to do just that, Gary grabbed the farmer's wrist.

"Hang on a sec, Ash." As always, Gary was the rational thinker of the duo, and he had ample experience with his friend's impulsiveness. He lost count of how many times Ash's brashness got them into predicaments, predicaments that could have been easily avoided if Ash simply learned to look before leaping. "I can't see that guy's face, either. We don't know _who_ he is. He could be a complete stranger, and you're just gonna' go walk right up to him?" Worse than being brash, Ash was too trusting.

Naïve or not, Ash failed to see the big deal. Just who did Gary think the stranger was; an _actual_ pirate out to kidnap children?! Compared to Ash's absentmindedness Gary was almost paranoid. Opposites attract, evidently. "Oh come' on, Gary. The guy can't be that evil; he's talking with Mr. Redfield like an old buddy of his. And we're surrounded by kids and adults—how many bad guys do their stuff with this many witnesses around? There can't be anything wrong with just walking up to him and asking his name."

For once in his life Ash had a point. Gary took comfort in just knowing his grandfather was nearby in case anything went wrong. Professor Oak jested about getting old, but if anything dared threaten his family the alleged old man would spring into action in a heartbeat. All of the Oaks considered the Ketchums to be family, present company not excluded. But for those very reasons Gary did not want anything bad to happen to Ash, especially when Ash had already undergone a lousy evening regarding his MIA father.

If the pirate were Mr. Ketchum then Gary would be overjoyed (though he doubted his elation would amount to a fraction of Ash's). But what if the pirate was somebody else? Even if the stranger meant no physical harm to Ash, there was a high probability that he could unintentionally inflict emotional damage. Gary did not want to imagine, never mind see, Ash's face once his hopes were crushed all over again. He suffered enough.

Ash Ketchum never gave up on anything, especially his dad. And while his resilience was admirable, Gary feared it was backfiring. By now Ash's hope turned into desperation. He was clutching the tinniest, most far-fetched possibilities that Victor would arrive for trick-or-treating. Gary did not know the precise time but he did suspect nine o'clock was around the corner. It mattered not to Ash, though, because he believed with all his heart that Victor would keep his promise.

Gary hated to be the bearer of bad news, but he would feel like a bad friend if he did not try to rationalize Ash's brain. The younger boy's state of mind was becoming frightening. Placing his hand on Ash's shoulder, Gary whispered as gently as possible. "If he is your dad, Ash, how come he's talking with Mr. Redfield and not with you?"

"Cause' he can't see me. All those other kids are too tall," although Ash did not have the guts to openly admit being short. He was the runt of his class and it made Ash feel self-conscious, especially since his best friend was a whopping two inches taller. Having a group of taller trick-or-treaters towering over him did not make Ash feel any better about his height, either. "I just gotta' get closer to him. Lemmie go before he leaves, Gary."

Mr. Redfield was waving the troupe farewell, thereafter the pirate and the older kids headed towards the walkway circling Kyle's house back towards the street. Ash almost called out to the man but feared making an unnecessary scene, especially in the event the pirate was someone else. But…what if the pirate _was_ Victor and he was completely unaware that he just walked right by his son?! Ash would never forgive himself for idly standing by and watching his father go. It was almost painful to see.

_Don't leave me, Daddy._

But Ash did not have time for tears. He needed to catch that pirate, but in order to do so he needed to twist his arm out of Gary's grip. The action did not go unnoticed by Professor Oak, who promptly (and authoritatively) asked what the boys were up to. His grandfather's questioning caught Gary off guard, long enough for his hold on Ash to loosen just enough for the wiggler to set himself free. After stumbling forward one step, Ash recovered and pointed in the direction where he last saw the man in the pirate costume.

"I'll be right back, Professor!" Ash swore, already scampering off before Sam knew what the hell was happening. "I just wanna' ask that pirate guy a question! Don't worry! You guys go with Kyle as soon as he's ready. I know this neighborhood. I'll catch up, okay?"

Had Samuel regained his bearings quickly enough he would have hollered that no, things certainly were not "okay"! But for a kid with such a small body Ash sure could move. Where did he get that energy?! The greater question was what in Lugia's name was that scamp thinking, running off at night just to talk to some…did Ash say _pirate_?!

"Young man, _what_ is going on?" Professor Oak immediately interrogated Gary, as though Ash's stunt might be his grandson's doing. It certainly would not be the first time Gary put Ash up to something, or vice versa, and Halloween was a notoriously mischievous holiday.

However, in the few seconds it took for Sam to ask Gary that one question Ash had already disappeared. Professor Oak's heart hammered in his chest, regardless if Ash claimed to "be right back" and that he knew his way around town. All Sam could think about was Delia's little boy wandering the streets, by himself, at almost nine o'clock at night. A bevy of horrifying "what ifs" and nightmares flooded the elder's mind. He had not noticed the pirate man Gary mentioned—who was he? What did Ash want with him? Or worse, what would become of Ash once he found the person? No community was 100% safe, and even though Pallet was safer than most, Ash did have a habit of defying the odds and attracting danger.

First things first, Professor Oak had to find Ash. He would sooner feed himself to wild Gyarados before returning to the Ketchum residence without Delia's precious baby.

"I'll go after Ash, Grandpa!" Gary volunteered, ready to give chase when Samuel grabbed the collar of the young doctor's coat. Professor Oak was not about to lose another child under his charge.

"You stay right with me, Gary," ordered older man, marching himself and his grandson towards Mr. Redfield. Samuel already knew he would have to apologize to the family for inexplicably reneging on Ash's offer to take Kyle trick-or-treating. Honestly, what was Ash thinking?! _Was_ he thinking?! Sam loved Ash dearly, but for crying out loud! That boy was often too scatterbrained for his own good.

Charlie Redfield was leaning against one of the tent's outer pillars, savoring the bottled water in his hand. There did not appear to be any visitors approaching within the next minute or two, providing Mr. Redfield with his first break in several hours. Seeing Samuel and Gary approach, the man wiped his damp mouth before smiling at them. "Heh, this must be a weird sight for you, huh, Gary? A vampire drinking water."

Too worried to appreciate the man's attempt at humor, Professor Oak got straight to the point. For all Samuel knew he was racing against a ticking clock, or time bomb.

"Chuck, please tell me! Who was that man in the pirate costume just now?"

**~ To Be Concluded in Chapter Three ~**

* * *

**A/N**: If my writing muse cooperates, then the first chapter of this story should be published later this week, hopefully in time for Halloween. Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know readers' thoughts on this story via review. :)


	3. Chapter Three

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters, Pocky, Dracula, Milky Way,_ or _York Peppermint Patties._

* * *

**My Little Pumpkin  
**_Aiselne Phoenix_

**~ Chapter Three ~**

Clouds of air puffed from Ash's mouth as he sprinted down the sidewalk. The candy in his pumpkin pail noisily banged against the container's plastic walls. With more people gravitating towards the Redfield family's property it became challenging for Ash to keep an eye on the man wearing the pirate costume, especially without the boy unintentionally bumping into a fellow pedestrian. Thank heavens the pirate's feathered hat jutted out from the crowd like a beacon.

The Redfields lived at the end of their street, its fork splitting into two additional roads. Having already visited the rest of the current street's homes, the pirate's group selected the left-hand street and proceeded through the traffic-less intersection. The first of the road's buildings was the Pallet Town Public Library, closed early for the holiday. A ways past its structure and large parking lot were more residential houses for prospective trick-or-treaters to patronize.

Ash could not recall the approaching house's occupants, but whoever they were they were about to receive visitors. The pirate's group of trick-or-treaters immediately began to climb the many stone steps of the neighbors' house. And as luck would have it, the group's adult chaperone opted to wait at the bottom of the stairs, joking to the other kids how they had tons more energy than him. Once the kids ascended away Ash made his move.

It amazed even himself that Ash did not blurt out his father's name. He wanted to believe that underneath the pirate costume was indeed Victor Ketchum. Alas, despite the boy's absentmindedness there _was_ a fraction of common sense telling Ash that there _was_ a probable chance of mistaken identity.

First of all, if the pirate were indeed Victor, why was he chaperoning other kids? Upon Mr. Ketchum's return to Pallet he was supposed to catch up with Ash and the Oaks, not spend his night with other people. The second indication of something amiss happened when Ash came close enough to see the pirate remove two small rectangular objects from his pocket. The first object was a box, its top opened to reveal tiny sticks, one of which the pirate removed, stuck in his mouth, and brought its tip to the second object, which sparked a candle-sized flame. Neither of Ash's parents smoked. Maybe Victor started whilst traveling through Johto? The little voice in the back of Ash's head told him otherwise.

Technically, Ash still did not know the pirate's true identity, but the chances no longer seemed to favor the idealistic child. After swallowing a gulp of air, saliva, and sorrow, Ash halted himself from continuing any further. What was he doing? Chasing a man just because he happened to resemble his dad? Professor Oak was bound to be furious over Ash's behavior, and just wait until Delia found out…

Knowing he was destined to face the music eventually, Ash about-faced towards the library. He needed to apologize to the Redfields first, then contend with Professor Oak's lectures, followed closely by his mother's. Ash Ketchum's Halloween kept getting better and better.

As Ash began backtracking, his sneaker accidently crushed a dead leaf. For some reason, the _crunch_ seemed louder than normal, causing Ash to freeze and timidly peer over his shoulder. Sure enough, the pirate's ears had pricked and his head pivoted towards the sound's direction. Then he and the small boy in the farmer's attire finally met face to face.

Even more surprising was when the man smiled pleasantly. "Hi there, Ash. What brings you here?"

* * *

Delia knew she was a worrywart. More often than not she found her anxieties unfounded, or her concerns were trivial: worrying if her accident-prone son hurt himself again, if he washed his hands before every meal, if he wore fresh underwear, et cetera. But honestly, Delia Ketchum took pride in her worrisome nature, believing it all part of being a conscientious mother looking out for her baby.

Nevertheless, it was ten minutes before nine o'clock at night. Sam had yet to return with the boys, and he originally promised to be home by nine at the latest. Honestly, Delia expected the trio to be back by now.

But it was not nine o'clock _just yet_. It was stupid for Delia to overreact when there were still ten full minutes of a grace period. And even if Professor Oak and company returned five or ten minutes late…was that really so awful? No matter what, Sam was a responsible adult who would take good care of the kids. But one grownup against two sugar high boys could pose its challenges. Every kid enjoyed milking Halloween for all it was worth. Ash and Gary probably wanted to visit "just one more house," which rarely consisted of only _one_ house. And for all Delia knew they could be heading her way right now, so did she really need to worry? It was stupid to panic or call the police just because her maternal jitters were kicking in.

Still…Delia never ignored her intuition. When she had a bad feeling about something Delia Ketchum listened to her gut. Then again, she could just be upset over Victor's phone call, about which she certainly was not looking forward to telling Ash. Perhaps that was why she was so anxious. The sooner Ash came home, the sooner Delia would have to break the news about his absentee dad.

Forcing herself not to pace around the living room anymore, Delia sat down upon the sofa, took a deep breath, and braced herself for whatever was to come.

* * *

The confirmation that he was not looking at his father filled Ash with immediate dread and self-scolding. Albeit six years old, Ash knew better than to talk to, never mind _run after_ strangers. The only reason he ran after this stranger was because he had been so certain (or rather, desperately hopeful) that the man was his father. But now learning otherwise, Ash's tiny body froze in fear that he had once again behaved mindlessly and gotten in over his head.

But the horror washed away as another revelation dawned on him. Although the pirate was not Victor Ketchum, Ash realized he still recognized the man. He was not a stranger at all but a fellow Pallet Town neighbor.

Finding the words amidst his garbled mind and voice, Ash stammered, "Mr.…Mr. Robinson?"

Except this Mr. Robinson was not the portly, zombie-costumed Kent Robinson whose house Ash had visited earlier. The pirate was Kent's older brother Geoffrey, yet another of Victor's old pals and the Ketchum family lawyer. Ash was too young to appreciate the irony of a lawyer dressed as a pirate. Come to think of it, Kent had mentioned earlier that his older brother was trick-or-treating with Kent's daughters and fellow friends. If only he mentioned Geoffrey's choice in costume, perhaps Ash would not have made another fool of himself.

Snuffing out his cigarette for politeness sake, Geoffrey then offered to shake the boy's hand, which Ash shyly accepted. "It's nice to see you, son. Having a fun Halloween?" But noticing he was the only grownup in the vicinity, it did not take long for the pirate to put two and two together. "But what're you doing out here? You're not by yourself I hope."

Ash pursed his lips momentarily. He was raised to tell the truth, but telling Mr. Robinson the _whole_ truth would be embarrassing. "I, uh…I'm trick-or-treating with Gary and Professor Oak. We were at the Redfield's place when I saw you, and…" And what? I thought you were my dad so I chased after you even though it probably gave Professor Oak a heart attack?! Why did these stunts always seem stupid _after_ the fact, never _before_? "…I guess I kinda' got sidetracked."

Geoffrey frowned, not overly convinced by the boy's answer. He was a lawyer, he knew when people lied, or at least danced around the truth. But Halloween was certainly not the night for Mr. Robinson to question a six-year-old boy. Whatever Ash's reasons were, they were his business. What mattered most was returning the boy to the Oaks' care before Samuel (or worse, Delia) declared an Amber Alert. Geoffrey became particularly nervous upon noticing that no adult seemed to be approaching to claim the missing boy.

Instead, a young girl suddenly approached. "Uncle! Uncle! Look!" she chirped, hopping down the stairs to meet Mr. Robinson. Ash recognized her from the Redfields' home, the pre-teen girl in the fairy costume. Upon closer examination Ash recognized her face from underneath its excessive layer of glittery makeup: the youngest of Kent Robinson's daughters, Laurie. "The Mikamis are giving out boxes of pocky!" The way she stuck the chocolate-covered biscuit stick into her mouth was a tad too reminiscent of her uncle's smoking. "Here! Try it!"

Mr. Robinson waved a dismissing hand. "No thanks, sweetie. Hey, you remember Ash, don't you? Vic Ketchum's boy."

Despite being neighbors the Robinson daughters were not overly chummy with Ash. It was nothing personal. The older girls simply had little in common with a six-year-old boy, and vice versa. But Laurie acknowledged that Ash was a well-behaved kid, and a cute one at that, especially in his little farmer costume.

The girl greeted Ash with a friendly yet silent nod. Extra glitter fell sprinkled loose from her hand when Laurie offered her open box of pocky sticks to Ash. "Want one?"

Evidently not all parents decreed candy off-limits until after trick-or-treating. Mr. Robinson certainly was not throwing a fuss over his niece's eating. For Ash to be offered candy, without the worry of parental nitpicking, made the boy feel rebellious. But ultimately he politely declined Laurie's offer. Ash figured he disobeyed Delia and Professor Oak's wishes enough for one evening. Besides, Ash realized his crave for candy had depleted since discovering Mr. Robinson was not Mr. Ketchum after all. Disappointment spoiled his appetite.

"Ash got separated from his trick-or-treating group," Geoffrey explained to Laurie, his eyes peering up the Mikami family's front stairs where the rest of the older kids were collecting candy. "When your big sis gets back down here tell her to keep an eye on things until I return. Ash lives right by us, so I'll run him home and meet up with you guys after. You and your friends still want to go to the cinema later, right?"

Laurie blinked, obviously surprised by the change of plans. "Sure, but the last showing of _Eventide: Part II_ starts at ten o'clock." It was Friday night, after all, and what better a Friday night movie premiere than on Halloween, especially for scary movies? "You sure you'll be back by then, Uncle?"

Ash was the one to blink this time. The movie's title rang a bell, something that Gary's sister May was eager to see. The _Eventide_ saga was anything but scary; it was another one of those PG-13 chick flicks staring lovesick, adolescent vampires or something, which Ash was not particularly gaga to watch. TV trailers advertised _kissing_ in that movie—the scariest part of any film as far as Ash Ketchum was concerned. Gross! What kind of vampires prefer kissing over drinking blood?! Ash would stick with Dracula.

Icky movie aside, Ash had to admit that he was impressed, and a smidgen jealous of Laurie. Wow, older kids had it made. Not only did they get to eat Halloween candy whenever they wanted, but they got to stay out after ten o'clock at night to see PG-13 films! Ash could not wait to grow up! Minus the kissy-kissy movies, of course.

Frankly, Geoffrey did not seem ecstatic about the teen movie, himself, but he nevertheless kissed his niece's forehead reassuringly. "I'll make it back in time for the movie. Don't worry, Laurie. Just promise me you and your friends will mind your manners while I'm gone. I'd hate to be the bad guy who keeps you kids from seeing the movie, but I will if I have to, okay?"

Laurie understood and promised good behavior. Ash figured she must have _really_ wanted to see the movie, although he could not imagine why. It had K-I-S-S-I-N-G in it! Eew.

With that, Mr. Robinson began walking alongside Ash towards whence they came, past the library to the intersection by the Redfields' home. Their first stop would be Kyle's house where Ash claimed to have gotten separated from Gary and Professor Oak. Surely they were searching for Ash, scouring the area, worried sick over the child's wellbeing. What concerned Geoffrey was if the Oaks already left the Redfields to expand their investigation elsewhere. But if that were the case, Mr. Robinson would simply continue to Ash's house and drop him off there. If Ash were trick-or-treating with Gary and Professor Oak, there was a good chance that his mother Delia stayed home and would be ready to welcome her son back with open arms.

Thinking about Ash's parents coerced the inevitable, yet innocent, question from Geoffrey's mouth. "So Ash, were you only trick-or-treating with the Oaks, or did your dad tag along this year?"

Déjà vu, Ash once again being asked about his missing dad by a Robinson male. But unlike the time with Kent, Ash was not in a position to ignore or pooh-pooh Geoffrey's inquiry. His brown eyes fell to his boots, kicking a few dead leaves as he walked beside the adult. There was no point in telling his tale of woe to an unsuspecting neighbor, even if the neighbor happened to be a friend of the family.

Thus, Ash defaulted on the same answer Professor Oak gave Geoffrey's younger brother earlier. "Dad's just late."

The poor boy's testimony would never hold up in a court of law. Ash's voice was solemn and sounded unconvinced by his own words. That, and the child refused to make eye contact with his converser (although Geoffrey was more worried about the inattentive child accidentally walking into something or veering off the sidewalk). Mr. Robinson could tell that something was wrong, but he could also tell that the Ketchums' problems were none of his business. If he wanted answers, best to ask Victor or Delia, not their son. Geoffrey need only concern himself with returning Ash to his guardians, nothing more.

But Geoffrey had to admit one thing; he felt uncomfortable seeing Ash so downtrodden. The boy was known for his cheerfulness. And tonight was Halloween, no less, a time when any child should be bouncing off the walls with glee. Ash's current behavior was more disturbing than anything Geoffrey saw in the Redfields' haunted tent.

Wanting to do or say something to ease the moment, Geoffrey forced a chuckle. "Your dad's just late, eh? That sounds like Vic." But before Ash could sink deeper into the wounds reopened by Mr. Robinson, the man added, "He was never punctual, even when we were kids. Did anyone ever tell you about the time your dad was late for the first day of his Pokemon journey?"

Ash never expected to hear those words. Though the subject of Victor Ketchum was bittersweet for his boy, Ash had to admit that Mr. Robinson's comment piqued his interest. The added incentive of Pokemon was a nice touch, too.

Finally raising his eyes to the tall man, Ash shook his head in response. "No."

Glad to talk to Ash's face opposed to his hat, Geoffrey counted his blessings and continued his reminiscing. It was hard for him not to smile fondly over the good old days. "Heh. Well like I said, your dad was never the punctual type: late for school, late for practice, you name it. About the only thing Vic wasn't late for was trainer's school cause' he loved Pokemon. That's why everyone was stunned to find out he overslept the day he graduated and got his license."

"Really?" gaped Ash with wide eyes. He never heard such a story before, even though his dad spoke often of his old training days. Although, considering this memory was not particularly flattering on Victor's behalf, it was no wonder why he omitted it from his retellings. "Why'd he oversleep?"

Geoffrey scratched the tip of his nose. "Cause' he and a bunch of buddies decided to throw a big pre-graduation party the night before and didn't get home until late. Not that my brother and I can throw stones—we partied right alongside your dad. And boy, were our parents furious. It's a miracle any of us were allowed to get our licenses the next day. Of course, your dad almost didn't…he arrived two hours late! Poor guy looked like a zombie, too. We all did. Nobody wanted their photo taken because we were all dog-tired and disheveled. I'm pretty sure one guy conked out during the graduation ceremony, though in his defense the MC was boring enough to cure insomnia. Let's just say karma has a way of punishing kids more severely than their parents."

Ash was not quite sure who Karma happened to be, but based on the wicked grin plastered across Geoffrey's face, the boy was in no hurry to make acquaintances.

"But live and learn, I guess," casually shrugged Mr. Robinson. "We all make mistakes, no matter how old we get."

The small boy took a moment to absorb Geoffrey's words. As entertaining as it was to hear about Victor's childhood faux pas, Ash found the story's moral held merit in Victor's adulthood. Mr. Ketchum was a grown man, and grown men still made mistakes like their juvenile counterparts. Nobody was perfect—Ash understood that. Even people like Gary who boasted about being "perfect" had their faults. But did the world end just because one person made a simple mistake (that is, as long as the mistake did not cause dire consequences)?

True, Victor's tardiness, his mistake, hurt Ash. Delia was hurting, too. Just because a mistake was not earth-shattering did not necessarily mean it came without pain. But in just the few minutes Ash conversed with Mr. Robinson, the boy felt that pain ease. He did not feel 100% "better," but Ash had to admit that hearing stories about his dad did not hurt him any further. In fact, the memories were like a balm, gradually soothing the wounds left in Victor's absence.

Everyone makes mistakes. That did not mean Ash loved his dad any less.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'Ash ran off'? And you _let_ him, Samuel?!"

It was well past nine o'clock. Knowing he traversed eggshells, Professor Oak raised his palms gently yet defensively. He and Gary had reentered the Ketchum house not two minutes ago before Delia began her interrogation. She had every right, of course, especially when Delia noticed her only son was no longer accompanying the grownup who was _supposed_ to be watching over him. As though Delia did not have enough headaches caused by her negligent husband!

Gary stayed by his grandfather's side, although he certainly was not about to test Mrs. Ketchum's nerves by speaking when not spoken to. Mothers were scary when angry. Ever since Ash ran away the brunette boy kicked himself for not trying harder to stop him.

Sam felt the same. However, being the oldest and wisest adult in the room he was more confident in his decisions. Professor Oak just needed to convince Delia that his decisions were thought-through, of course, which posed the greatest obstacle.

After taking a deep breath, Samuel steadied himself in hopes of doing the same for Ash's mother. "Delia, just hear me out, okay? Gary told me why Ash ran off. We were at the Redfields' house when a large group of trick-or-treaters arrived. The group's chaperone was a man wearing a pirate costume that reminded Ash of Victor's. And since Vic was supposed to catch up with us, Ash jumped to conclusions and thought the pirate was his dad. When the pirate left the Redfields' place, Ash took off after him."

Delia tightly folded her arms over her chest, giving the dual illusion of stubbornness and self-comfort. The one—and only—reason Delia had yet to panic and call the police was because of Professor Oak's calm, reassuring voice, and the fact that she trusted him. "And who _was_ the pirate, Samuel?" Fat chance it was her husband.

"I didn't see the man, myself," openly admitted Samuel, exchanging looks with Gary. "Gary said the guy wasn't recognizable in his getup, anyway. Fortunately, the man had been chatting with Mr. Redfield just before leaving, and when I asked, Chuck told me the pirate was Kent Robinson's older brother."

A wave of multiple emotions flooded Delia's surprised senses, but the dominant feeling was relief. "Geoffrey?" she asked, taking Professor Oak's nod as confirmation. The moment she first realized that Ash was missing Delia's brain became riddled with nightmares. Ash had a knack for inadvertently attracting trouble, and trouble was guaranteed if he crossed paths with a malevolent stranger. Words alone could not describe Delia's utmost thankfulness to Mr. Robinson, and especially God, for allowing her lost little boy to stumble into the hands of a friend. Not every missing child was so fortunate.

Gradually, Delia came to terms with the reality that her six-year-old son was not in danger. Victor was not the only member of the family who was long-time friends of the Robinsons. Delia and Kent's wife Shelly frequented each other's kitchens to exchange recipes, and Geoffrey was a fantastic lawyer who was kind enough to explain legal complexities via words that Delia could actually understand. He was no swindler, and certainly no kidnapper.

Relief flooded Delia's eyes, albeit the first tears she shed all night that were not induced by her husband's nonattendance. "Oh, t-thank God," she choked, wiping her eyes before Professor Oak could wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders. "But…Sam, why didn't you still go after Ash? I mean, I trust Geoffrey and everything—"

"Believe me, Del, Gary and I did look. Heck, even Chuck's son Kyle was willing to help." Samuel felt like a complete heel when he told Kyle Redfield that their trick-or-treating was canceled due to Ash's foolishness. The red-haired boy was disappointed, naturally, but he seemed mature enough to realize that Sam and Gary had more pressing matters than taking some loner trick-or-treating. Kyle never did cross Professor Oak as the type to accept people's pity. "None of us saw which direction Ash and Geoffrey went. We backtracked through the neighborhood, but they must have taken one of the streets that intersect by the Redfields' property. We decided to head back here, and Chuck said he would tell Geoffrey and Ash to head this way too, if the duo returned to the Redfields."

Although trusting Geoffrey, Delia did not like what Samuel suggested earlier. "I certainly hope they didn't go too far, though. The library's road is right by the Redfields', and it crosses directly into downtown," an area far too busy and dangerous for a little boy to be roaming the streets at night. After all, Samuel claimed Ash _ran after_ Geoffrey…it was anyone's guess whether or not the kid caught up to the pirate. What if…? Terrific! Just when Delia thought her mind was at ease. "Maybe I _should_ notify Officer Jenny, just to be safe." There was never such a thing as being "too safe" when it came to a mother and her child. But before Professor Oak could say otherwise, and before Delia's fingers could reach her videophone…

_Ding-dong!_

Tonight, Delia did not have many good memories associated with her doorbell. But before she could ponder all the possibilities of who, or what, laid behind her front door, the auburn-haired woman dashed. Nobody could stop her if they dared to try. With speed Delia did not even realize she possessed, she threw open the door and cried out, "Ash!?"

Insects buzzed around her porch's overhead light. Beneath it stood a tall man in a pirate costume, with a little, farmer-dressed boy standing at his side. The imp gently kicked a dead leaf with the toe of his boot before shyly looking up at his wide-eyed mother. "…H-hi, Mommy."

It was the most beautiful sight Delia Ketchum ever laid eyes upon. She was on her knees, kissing her baby compulsively, and crushing Ash to her chest before Delia had time to sob, though the tears were not far behind. "O-oh Ash! Thank God you're safe! You had us worried sick, young man! Promise me; don't you ever run off like that again, do you understand? _Ever_!"

Ash was not at liberty to be embarrassed by his mother's public display of emotion. Frankly, he wanted to promise her, but speaking was a tad difficult whilst sandwiched inside Delia's mama-bear hug. The poor boy could barely move, never mind breathe. But eventually Delia loosened her grip enough for she and her son to see face to face.

Of course, the moment Ash's eyes met his mother's teary ones, the ashamed child looked back down at the watery image of his feet. "I'm sorry, Mom."

Indeed, Ash _should_ be sorry, but Delia was not heartless to say such words, not now, that is. She would have a long talk with Ash later, but right now she was too overjoyed to spoil the occasion. Besides, she and Ash had an audience.

Mr. Robinson was gentleman enough to offer Delia his handkerchief to dab her eyes. "I don't know how I can possibly thank you enough, Geoffrey," she beamed ever so gratefully, rising to her feet to return the hankie to its rightful owner. "And I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, too."

The pirate shook his head whilst smiling. "Don't worry about it, Delia. It wasn't an inconvenience, believe me. Actually, Ash and I had a pretty nice chat on our way back here." It was not often he got to reminisce about the glory days with the child of his childhood friend. When Ash looked up at his neighbor, Geoffrey chuckled friendly. "He's a good kid, Del. Don't be too hard on him, okay?"

Nobody knew that truth better than Delia Ketchum. True, she was not the type of parent to let her child easily get off the hook, and rest assured Ash would receive some degree of discipline. But after hearing Samuel's testimony, and Mr. Robinson's kind words, Delia knew Ash's behavior was not driven by sheer defiance. As with the many times Ash went overboard, he only had the best intentions. There was a saying that the road to hell was paved with those very intentions, but nevertheless, Delia believed her son's heart was always in the right place. It was the thought that counted, even if Ash's brain could stand a bit more _fore_thought.

But for the time being, Delia simply basked in the knowledge that everything turned out okay. Her son was home safe and sound. What more could Delia want?

She hugged Geoffrey, thanking him again for everything, and made sure Ash extended his gratitude to the man as well. Mr. Robinson was too modest, but it certainly was not false modesty. Whatever he and Ash "chatted" about earlier, it must have helped both of them during their awkward situation. Clearly, he liked the Ketchums' son and did not mind escorting him home. Ash had obviously been watched over by a guardian angel this evening, ensuring he was brought into the custody of people who meant no harm.

When Delia's eyes drifted down to her farmer-costumed son, she noted his confection-filled pumpkin pail. The lucky little pumpkin brought fortunes far sweeter than candy. She had a pretty good idea "who" was her son's guardian angel, too, and Delia prayerfully thanked her father-in-law whilst sniffling back tears.

Geoffrey felt happy for the Ketchums, and he certainly did not want to horn in on the family any longer than necessary. His work was done, after all, and he had his own family to tend to. After checking his wristwatch, Mr. Robinson spoke. "Well now, if you guys will excuse me, I've got two nieces and their friends eagerly waiting for me at the downtown cinema. And I know better than to come between tweenagers and their chick flicks."

Understanding, Delia nodded. "Thanks again, Geoffrey." She swore she could not say thanks enough. How could a woman possibly repay a man for returning her child safely? Delia vowed to herself to find a way to return the favor to the Robinsons in the future. And she kept her promises. Placing her hands protectively around Ash's shoulders, the mother reiterated herself one final, but heartfelt, time. "Really. Thank you."

Mr. Robinson looked almost ready to blush due to the excessive praise. "Please. It's the least I could do," he said, waving his hand as though everything was no big deal. Delia grossly begged to differ. "That husband of yours helped me out plenty when we were kids. Vic's like another brother to me. It's time I returned the favor." With that, the pirate bade everyone farewell, good night, and happy Halloween. For Delia, being reunited with her baby gave new meaning to having a "happy" holiday.

The Robinsons' incessant mentions of Victor weighed on Ash and Delia's consciences as the mother and son sought refuge from the chilly October air. But for the first time all evening, Ash's concerns for Victor diminished once he realized he ought to be more concerned about himself. Inside, surrounded by his mother, Professor Oak, and Gary, the young man knew he was in trouble. He disappointed too many people on Halloween.

Hanging his head, Ash sniffed before apologizing sincerely. "I'm sorry I let you all down tonight." He wanted to at least prove that he was aware of being in the wrong. "I wrecked everybody's Halloween, didn't I?"

The others exchanged glances. Specifically, Delia and Samuel noted the boy's choice of words, and how reminiscent they were of his aforementioned dad. Like father like son? Certainly not. Ash may have felt like he let everybody down tonight, but not nearly to the extent of Victor. The boy recklessly ran away but nobody could really blame him. He just wanted to see his dad, and perhaps if Victor arrived on time this fiasco never would have happened.

"You didn't wreck anything, Ash." To everyone's surprise it was Gary who approached his friend. The doctor held open his pillowcase full of candy, smiling victoriously. "See? We still got to go trick-or-treating and get lots of candy. I know I had fun." Granted, it was not quite so "fun" worrying about Ash after he ran off, but…well, Gary had grown used to worrying about his brash, lame-brained buddy's antics. As long as Ash turned out okay—and miraculously, Ash always did—young Gary believed all was well that ended well.

Plus, Gary understood Ash's reasons. The brunette boy and his sister would give anything to spend one more holiday with their late parents. He did not wish that pain on anyone, let alone his best friend.

"Besides," added Gary, wearing a smile amidst the moment's melancholy. He was not nearly as sentimental as Ash. When moments got sappy Gary Oak preferred to slap on his poker face, and a very arrogant face at that. "I got more candy than you, Ash. Pay up all your _Milky Way_ bars!"

It took a moment for Ash's mind to switch gears, but Gary's challenge eventually did the trick. Gone were the frowns, replaced with haughty smirks as the children resumed their heated "who-got-the-most-candy" debate. "Oh yeeeah?! Prove it!"

It was not long before Delia's coffee table was covered with sweets of all kinds, the kids sifting through each piece and meticulously counting their bounty. And now that trick-or-treating was officially done, Ash and Gary could hardly wait to sink their teeth into at least one of their treasures. It was difficult for Delia to say no, considering their unconventional Halloween, not to mention Samuel treating himself to an overdue _Milky Way_. Oh, how it had been one hell of a night. Everybody deserved to relax, unwind, and maybe even enjoy a slice of her pumpkin pie.

"Come' on, Mom! Join us!" Ash encouraged from the couch, placing a _Peppermint Patty_ in her palm. His bright smile was sweeter. Somehow, despite everything Delia feared earlier, her boy still managed to enjoy his favorite holiday. That _was_ what she wanted for Ash all along, was it not?

* * *

_Knock! Knock!_

It dawned on Delia that all those times she fretted hearing the doorbell were foolish. It would not be a _ding-dong_ to herald the return of her husband, but instead a knocking on the front door. At least Victor had enough sense not to ring the noisy doorbell at ten o'clock at night. She struggled enough getting Ash to go to bed ten minutes earlier.

The Ketchum house was significantly quieter upon Victor Ketchum's return: no loud, merry homecoming, not that he expected any. His wife simply opened the door and invited him inside without a word, although Victor felt lucky she did not slam the door into his face. He dumped his duffle bag by the coat rack, not expecting to need the inside's pirate ensemble any time soon.

Hanging his jacket, the man peered around his living room, briefly admiring Delia's lovely decorations before getting to the point. "Where's Ash?"

"In bed, though I doubt he's asleep," Delia answered, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her left ear. "It's been a long night, after all."

Victor ignored her insinuation. "You didn't let him wait up for me." It was an observation, not a question.

His wife shrugged curtly. "I didn't see the point, Vic."

Not wanting to restart their argument from before, Victor sighed and dropped the issue before it had time to mushroom. To him, the important part was that he made it home after all. Yes, he was ridiculously late, but he still kept his promise. A half-kept promise was still a promise kept, was it not? If only Delia could see things his way.

Make no mistake, Delia was thankful (and amazed) that Victor showed up. If she were less stubborn she might have hugged her husband the moment he overstepped the threshold. But there was no denying that the Ketchums' Halloween could have transpired far more smoothly had Victor arrived sooner. He needed to understand that mistakes, even the simplest ones, had consequences.

"I also sent Ash up to his room so we could be alone for a few minutes," Delia confessed, strolling towards the kitchen where the spouses' usual "talks" transpired. Mr. Ketchum could already see where this conversation was headed, but he knew he was in no position to dispute. "Follow me, Victor. I have quite a 'Halloween story' to tell you."

* * *

Within the darkness of Ash's bedroom he watched the glowing red numbers of his desk's digital clock. 10:45 P.M. It was way past his bedtime, though Delia had been nice enough to let him stay up an extra half hour for Halloween's sake. There was no school tomorrow, either, and Ash looked forward to sleeping late, even at the cost of missing his favorite morning cartoons. There would be reruns.

Lying atop his bunk bed Ash felt himself torn between animation and sleepiness. Halloween's adrenaline still pumped through his veins, not to mention the late-night candy and sweets he consumed. But at the same time he felt pooped after everything went topsy-turvy during the last few hours. How was it possible to want to sleep, yet not want to sleep, at the same time?

But in the end Ash remained awake, not merely because of the sugary excitement. He had heard his dad's truck pull into the driveway. He had heard the muffled sounds of his parents' voices in the kitchen, though he could not decipher their words. Knowing Delia's opinions of her husband, Ash doubted he wanted to learn the specifics about their chat. His father was home. Ash contended himself with that.

"Ash?"

No amount of sugar could race Ash's heart to the extent of hearing his dad's voice. Immediately the boy looked at his ajar door, the hallway light peeking through its gap where Victor Ketchum poked his head. The glowing sight was rather ghostlike—was Victor really there, or was Ash merely dreaming? But the feelings reverberated in Ash's heart spoke the truth and filled the child with more happiness than he experienced all night. His daddy was home! Finally!

"Hi, Dad!" Ash squealed, ready to jump off his bed before Victor rushed to his side and quelled his over-eagerness. There was no need for _another_ mishap tonight. Instead Ash wrapped his arms around his dad's broad shoulders, the bunk bed at the perfect height for a hug. Nuzzling his face into the crook of Victor's neck, Ash breathed deeply. "I missed you."

Victor took a deep breath as well, controlling his emotions for his son's sake. "I missed you too, kiddo," he replied, running a hand through Ash's identically-colored hair. Upon parting from their hug, Victor brushed Ash's bangs away from his cherubic face so his dad could get a better look. Mr. Ketchum had only been away in Johto for a few months, yet Ash already looked older in Victor's eyes. The saying, "kids grow fast," was no exaggeration. "And I'm so, _so_ sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

Ash was sorry his father did not arrive sooner, too. But suddenly in the presence of Victor, Ash was too elated to give into his bitterness. Ash Ketchum simply was not the type of person to hold grudges. "It's okay, Dad. I still had fun, and I saved ya some candy, too."

The boy was too big-hearted for his own good. Victor doubted he deserved to have such a wonderful child, especially after all the hurt he put that child (and the child's mother) through. Delia was kindhearted but not nearly as forgiving as her son.

"How's your Pokemon journey going, Dad?" he heard Ash unexpectedly ask. "Did you really visit the Tojoh Region? What's it like?"

Ash was a typical Ketchum if Victor ever saw one, always ready, willing, and able to learn something new about Pokemon. Chuckling, the man ruffled his boy's hair. "The _Johto_ Region is pretty cool, actually. They have Pokemon over there that you can't find here in Kanto."

Faint light mirrored from Ash's glistening eyes. "Really?! Like what?!" The kid was almost bouncing in his bed from excitement, which Victor doubted was a good idea considering the time of night. Ash needed his rest, and Victor did not need to give Delia another reason to yell at him.

"How about I show you tomorrow, okay?" Victor offered with a wink, though his offer was more of a promise. "Your dad caught a Sentret and it just evolved into a Furret this week. I'm sure the little guy would be thrilled to meet you, Ash," though not nearly as thrilled as Ash felt.

"It _evolved_?! Awesome! When? Where?! How'd it do that?"

Victor chewed his lower lip for a second, knowing he was bound to broach this topic sooner or later. It was not right to beat around the bush, especially when Ash deserved the truth. "Well, you see, Ash…Sentret evolved during my last gym battle…"

"Wow!" Wherever Ash got his energy Victor would never know, though his default answer was, "he gets it from his mother." "You already challenged a Johto gym, Dad? That's amazing! Did you win?"

If only Victor shared a fraction of his son's joy. Maybe then he would not regret his Violet Gym battle so profoundly. "Well, yeah, son. I did win," Victor's deadpan voice a far cry from usual trainers who jumped for joy at winning a badge. He thought of showing the prize to his son, Victor's badges kept safe in a case he stored in his pants' back pocket, but…

"You _won_?!" gushed Ash, wasting no chance in hugging his father all over again. It was the best news Ash heard all day. "That's great, Dad!"

For Victor, winning the praise of his son was more rewarding than any badge. Ash's congratulations were genuine, pure, just like the little boy himself. That was the problem.

"No, Ash. It's not great."

"Huh?" blinked Ash, feeling his father separate from their hold. Come to think of it, Victor had not been overly enthusiastic during his and Ash's reunion and subsequent conversation. Whenever Ash asked about Johto the man gave bland answers, which was odd. Victor was like Ash; he could talk about Pokemon and training until the cows came home, and he spoke with extreme jubilation. He was a man who loved Pokemon and loved working with them, which undoubtedly inspired Ash to do the same. He could not wait to follow in his dad's footsteps someday.

So then, why was Victor behaving so…sad? He just won a new badge. His Pokemon evolved. With so many good goings on, what could Victor possibly be upset about?

Unless…

Unless Victor found out about what happened tonight.

Realizing, Ash felt his optimism drain and his head once again sink. Of course Victor knew; what else would he and Delia have discussed in the kitchen? Ash knew he would not enjoy learning about their conversation. Then again, he only had himself to blame for behaving so stupidly this evening. His dad was obviously disappointed. The man did not run all the way home, from Johto no less, just to find out his son scared the bejeezus out of everyone.

When he noticed the change in Ash's demeanor, Victor once again got to the matter at hand. Rubbing Ash's back for encouragement and comfort, Victor spoke gently. "Mommy told me what happened tonight," which naturally caused Ash's head to dip further. In reality it was Victor who wanted to hang his head, or crawl under a rock. "And believe me, I'm so sorry about that, Ash."

Before guilty tears could flood his eyes Ash blinked once again, his head springing up to promptly look his father in the eye. Strangely, Victor's eyes were glossed with remorse, although why he was apologizing was a mystery to his son. True, Victor had been late for Halloween, but was it any worse than his idiot son chasing a neighbor who happened to resemble his father?

Ash angled his head curiously. "You didn't do anything wrong, Dad."

A semi-sarcastic chuckle escaped Victor's mouth. "Yeah, Ash. I did. You see, the whole reason I didn't show up on time tonight was because I spent too much time in Violet City. That was where I won my gym battle. Things took longer than expected and I wasn't able to take you trick-or-treating tonight." Although ashamed of himself, Victor was man enough to tell his son the truth without once shying away from the boy's eye contact. Self-loathing thickened inside the man's neck, briefly choking his next words. "What happened with Mr. Robinson wouldn't have even happened if I just skipped the gym battle and made it home on time."

Ash wanted to argue but found that he could not. His dad spoke the truth. Once there had been a time during the night when Ash held that truth against his father, too. This year's Halloween would have resulted so much differently if Victor arrived on time in his pirate costume, chaperoned alongside Professor Oak, and trick-or-treated with Ash and Gary. There would have been no need for Ash to mope, hold back tears, and above all undergo a case of hasty mistaken identity. Even Delia would have been happier—_everyone_ would have benefited if Victor waited for his gym battle.

Even Ash felt a tad cheated, his father choosing a badge over his son; it was a poor excuse for Victor to be late, but Ash _did_ understand the badge's importance. Pokemon trainers took such things very, very seriously, perhaps too seriously. Would Ash make the same decision if the situation were reversed? The boy could not say. Ash liked to believe he would become a trainer who evenly balanced Pokemon with family, who made frequent visits back home and called his mom on a weekly basis, updating her on his adventures and easing her anxieties. It sounded so easy, but if Victor's track record was any indication, Ash realized he should not be so naïve.

Grownups had so many responsibilities, more important than Ash's trivial issues regarding Halloween candy. But despite his many obligations, Victor Ketchum still found a way to come home. It was not a picture-perfect holiday by any means, but Ash's wish did come true. He was together again with his father. Victor made that happen.

"It's okay, Dad. Really. I'm okay," and Ash meant "okay" in the broadest sense, both physically and mentally. "I'm not mad," _though I'm sure Mom is_. Ash was not quite ready to take sides in his parents' marital war. He wanted to remain neutral for as long as possible, preferably until the war was over and things went back to normal. Because Ash believed—wanted to believe—that Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum would resolve their problems, say their sorries, and once again behave like the perfect, loving parents as Ash saw them.

Even at six years old, Ash knew his family's troubles would not end overnight. But as far as _this_ night was concerned… "I'm just glad you're home, Daddy," Ash smiled, unable to stop embracing his father in fear that letting go would be permanent. "This is what I really wanted for Halloween."

After a moment of his boy's words sinking in, Victor returned Ash's hug twofold, savoring the giggle made by his squished son. "From the mouth of the babes," Samuel often quoted. Children often spoke the plain truth without understanding the full magnitude of their words. And indeed, Ash could not begin to fathom how thankful his father felt; thankful that nothing bad happened to Ash on account of his absence, and thankful for the child's overwhelming forgiveness and understanding. Victor hoped his son's heart would continue to stay pure long after this Halloween.

Burying his nose into his son's hair, Victor took another deep, emotional breath. "Thanks Ash. This is all I want, too."

Delia could not agree more.

She stood outside the ajar door of her son's bedroom, listening and shedding silent tears throughout her son and husband's long-awaited reunion. It went against her polite nature to eavesdrop, but on this specific occasion Delia doubted she was doing any harm. She had no intentions of barging into the room or coming between Victor and Ash. Her husband had been plenty remorseful about the episode with Geoffrey. Such did not mean Delia was ready to forgive and forget yet. Not by a long shot. But for now, let Ash enjoy his Halloween present.

Held dangling in her hands was Ash's emptied pumpkin pail, long since emptied and cleaned after its busy night. The night had its dicey moments, but for all intents and purposes Ash's promise had been fulfilled. Clutching the self-titled lucky pumpkin to her beating heart, Delia thanked heaven that her little pumpkin had a happy Halloween after all.

**~ The End ~**

* * *

**A/N**: Personally, I can't believe how long this fanfic turned out—it was originally meant to be a one-shot, but the story took off well beyond my expectations. It was a blast to write, though, especially during this Halloween season, even though I felt the crunch trying to finish the ever-lengthening story in time for the actual holiday. I do hope everyone enjoyed reading!

This fanfic marks my 40th contribution on FFnet. It's been wonderful exploring various fandoms and their characters, and I'm especially happy to write about Ash and his beloved family. :) My deepest thanks to everyone who has supported and encouraged me this far. You're the best!

And, of course, my best wishes to readers and their families for a safe and happy Halloween!


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